Project Description

Students of the Mississippi-Vermont Community Comection class at Twinfield Union School in Marshfield, Vermont have been learning from a “Rights in Action” curriculum. It is a model that enables students to reflect, create and fulfill action plans while building a voice that empowers and is shaped by community. Imagine a new generation of citizen activists bridging our nation’s North and South divide, raising their voices on important public issues, and enlisting community leaders and educators as partners in the civic and political life of their communities. A Vermont student, fully aware of the significance of race and history, reflected on our work and her connection with Mississippi youth, that religion and education separates us; not race. It was here at Twinfield where Vermont students first became aware of the discrimination, exclusion and injustices students from northern Mississippi experience in the process of acquiring an education. Twinfield students have been shocked by stories they heard from the southern students related to the inequitable practices preventing young people in Mississippi from acquiring a first-rate education. Two years ago, the Rural School and Community Trust brought youth-adult teams from the Mississippi Delta, Midwest, and Northeast together at the historic Penn Center in South Carolina. The students immediately experienced compassion for one another and made commitments to find ways to support each other. They learned about the effective organizing principles used in the 1960’s struggle for equality to apply relevant skills to new “civic action” projects in their communities. Since that time, Twinfield students have also become familiar with their southern partners involvement in Youth Innovation Movement Solutions (YIMS), a team of Mississippi youth and community leaders and their efforts to reverse the educational inequities. Vermont students from Twinfield High School are understanding and acting on important issues as part of their school curriculum—a civics in action course. This year, through generous donations from community partners, Twinfield Union School will be sending 26 members to Northern Mississippi to form relationships, visit schools, and participate in workshops and activities devoted to critical awareness of one another’s experiences. This May, students involved in (YIMS) will join us in Vermont. Their visit will be devoted to supporting the Twinfield community members they connected with in Mississippi by attending and participating in academic and community events. The visitors will also participate in training in the "Rights in Action" curriculum developed at Twinfield. We have so much to learn from one another and we are trying to give these students the opportunity to create real change. Please consider donating to help us reach our goal of $39,040, which includes traveling expenses for the Vermont community members to visit Mississippi as well as supporting the fundraising efforts of the Mississippi group to visit Vermont.

Project Description

My program the suitland civic assoc. is a non-profit organization responsible for the will-being of the citizens in the city of Suitland. In this program we connect with all local officials and provide the common needs for all citizens. Every month we have meetings with the whole town and discuss current and reoccuring issuses and how we can slove them. I for the most part work with the youth since thats my age group. we have sevral programs going on such as the, midnight lock in over the summer where it take the youth off the street and give them the whole night at the local rec.centers to play, socialize, etc. We also have this month have a holliday program where we will entertain the whole town by the kids. we have alot of things for the children to as well as the adults. The overall message here is we want to ensure safety, recreation , and enjoyment in the suitland area.

Project Description

Growing up in NC, Chad Bullock is surrounded by empty tobacco warehouses and old tobacco advertisements. He is also constantly surrounded by the deadly smoke from his family member’s lit cigarettes. Chad has always been uneasy by the presence of smoke.
A group of youth noticed that the Durham Bulls Athletic Park allowed cigarette smoking at such as family oriented event. Knowing that smoking causes many illnesses in adults and children we knew something had to be done. Deadly second hand smoke was everywhere, from the seating area to the children’s play area, smoke consumed the air.
Chad Bullock and his peers have taken action to get this unhealthy issue resolved. Chad and his group have met with the management team and gathered community support through fan surveys. At this point, the choice to make the Durham Bulls Athletic Park smoke-free was up to the management.
In early 2007, the Durham Bulls announced that they are making the park smoke-free immediately. The management took our concerns as youth advocates and fans into account. They used our survey results as a source community support. We were very excited about this accomplishment, but the work was not done!
We are also currently meeting with the Durham Bulls to help them raise awareness about the new smoke-free policy. We are offering booths with visuals, free candy, and free face painting to help get our smoke-free message out there.

Project Description

*MISSION*
A Coalition Led by Passionate Young Women: Our mission is to educate the public about existing toxic chemicals found in cosmetics and personal care products, to advocate for legislation that protects our right to health and to inspire teens across the nation to work together and create change within their communities.
In collaboration with the National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, teen campaign members played a key role in the passage of SB484, The California Safe Cosmetics Act in October of 2005. Thanks to their 11th hour lobbying efforts in Sacramento, California's Governor signed the bill, on tap for veto into law.
Once more, the teens went back to Sacramento to lobby for the Toxic Toys Bill this past September. The bill was to ban phthalates from children’s toys and baby nipples. The Governor was set to veto this bill and the teens, also fighting to ban phthalates from cosmetic products, changed his mind. The bill became law in October 2007.

“With the Precautionary Principle as our guiding tenet,we seek to inspire and engage our peers, empowering ourselves and others to change the world.”
-National Teen Advisory Board

*CAMPAIGN GOALS*
EDUCATE the public to make safe, healthy and more informed choices when purchasing personal care and cosmetics products.

ADVOCATE for policy change to eliminate toxic chemicals from personal care products and demand that government and industry be accountable for protecting our right to heatlh.

EMPOWER the community to support greener alternatives and utilize their buying power to influence change. The teens are active lobbyists for policy change working with state legislators and moderate forums in schools and in the community to help educate for change around an issue that impacts their health and well being.

*HISTORY*
In 2002 it was revealed that Marin County breast cancer rates had risen an alarming 60% in eight years. When asked what was being done, the response was there wasn’t enough funding to do the necessary studies. Judi Shils, formed the Marin Cancer Project (currently known as the Search for the Cause) with hopes of better understanding the risk factors in our lives that may be causing our cancer rates to spiral. The Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign (T4SC) is a program of SFTC that was inspired by a group of teens who wanted to examine the toxic exposures in their lives that may potentially contribute to cancer and work together to eliminate them.
We collaborate with scientists, researchers and business owners to research and share information on what chemicals to avoid, and also what products contain and do not contain these chemicals. We’ve created the Dirty Dozen Plus and Greener Alternatives lists to leverage our buying power and to support only those businesses that develop products without toxic chemicals.
As current research continues to link chemical ingredients in personal care products to cancer, T4SC works to educate the public at an early age to reduce their exposure to these chemicals over a lifetime. Many types of cancer are cumulative – meaning that repeated exposure to these toxins can have unhealthy consequences.
The teens are active lobbyists for policy change; they work with state legislators and moderate forums in schools and in the community to help educate for change around an issue that impacts their health and well being. With statistics like 1/3 of all men and 1/2 of all women will have cancer by 2050, we must continue to identify risks and encourage healthy lifestyle choices for this and future generations.

Our 3 step approach to reducing one's risk:
1. Identify the source
2. Establish the consequences
3. Eliminate or reduce the source

*WHAT WE DO*
EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH: Campaign members travel to schools and organizations across the country to present the “Safe Cosmetics 101” seminar. The purpose of this seminar is to educate students, teachers and community members about safe cosmetics and to inspire them to be advocates for their right to health. We work with interested schools and organizations to help form new chapters of the campaign and to provide guidance, leadership and tools. If you are interested in having a Teen Advisor present at your school, please click here.

EVENTS: We host events to get the word out about this issue, to fundraise for continued support and to create opportunities for potential members to learn more about the campaign. Check out the most recent benefit events hosted by T4SC:
- Teens for Safe Cosmetics National Summit
- Green Spa
- Project PROM
- Safe Cosmetics 101
- Green Glitz & Glam Ball
- Rock SAFE: Battle of the Teen Bands

*CHRONOLOGY*
January 2005
CAMPAIGN KICK OFF / LAUNCH, MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA - Teens meet together for the first time to discuss campaign objectives, actions and goals.

February 2005
TEEN SURVEY LAUNCHED ON THE WEB - Results compiled to investigate chemical ingredients found most consistently in products used by teens. Information became the basis for creating the Dirty Dozen & Greener Alternatives.

May 2005
SAFE COSMETICS BILL OF RIGHTS PRESS CONFERENCE, SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA – Held at the Marin County Supervisors Chambers, the press conference for political leaders, press, and community members introduced the structure of the campaign and demands of policy makers in the fight for our right to health.

September 2005
SB 484 MEETING WITH GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - Teen Campaign members met with the Governor’s aide to encourage his passage of SB484. Engaged student populations to write letters to Governor to encourage him to pass SB 484.

October 2005
SAFE COSMETICS ACT OF 2005 WAS PASSED BY THE GOVERNOR, CALIFORNIA - Thanks to their 11th hour lobbying efforts of the Teen Campaign in Sacramento, California's Governor signed a bill into law that was on tap to be vetoed. This unprecedented passage occured due to lobbying and meetings with leaders by campaign members.

February 2006
1st ANNUAL SAFE COSMETICS NATIONAL TEEN SUMMIT, MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA - 40 girls from all across the country came to Marin for the weekend to acquire the tools to start a campaign in their own schools and local communities.

BENEFIT BALL, ROSS CALIFORNIA - In the same weekend as the Summit, we hosted a ball with a fashion show and dinner to get engage hundreds of teens from the local area.

June 2006
ALICE RADIO’S “SUMMER THING CONCERT” GREEN SPA, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - Forged a partnership with top Bay Area rock station, Alice Radio, and set up first “Green Spa” for hundreds of people to sample green products in Golden Gate Park. The booth featured campaign members educating teen & adults about safer products and professional make up artists and estheticians doing mini facials, mini makeovers, and hair styling.

HOLLYWOOD BRIEFING & OPT ACTION, SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA - In partnership with the National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, teens participated in an action to demand that OPI reformulate without toxic chemicals. The media attention from the event persuaded OPI Nail Polish to remove phthalates from their US products.

February 2007
2nd ANNUAL SAFE COSMETICS NATIONAL TEEN SUMMIT - Invited teens from all across the country.

March 2007
GREEN, GLITZ & GLAM BENEFIT BALL - 350 attendees, sustainable clothing fashion show, organic dinner, and music and dancing featuring a local band.

April 2007
Project PROM, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - For the event in Union Square, which centered around prom season, teens dressed up in prom dresses and combat boots to fight for their right to health and stand up against the multi-billion dollar cosmetic industry. Hundreds of people came to hear political leaders and scientists speak. The Green Market, sponsored by Whole Foods Market, and The Iredale Mineral Cosmetics Green Spa featured free makeovers, samples, and an informational booth. This also marked the launch of the “I Perfume” co-branded with Teens for Safe Cosmetics and EO Products.

May 2007
TEEN BODY BURDEN STUDY - In collaboration with EWG and Teens for Safe Cosmetics, 20 teen girls from across the county, two from the Bay Area chapter, had their blood and urine tested for levels of chemical compounds found in cosmetics. Results will be announced in the winter of 2007.

September 2007
LOBBYING IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - The teens went back to the state capital to lobby for the Toxic Toys Bill.

October 2007
PASSAGE OF THE TOXIC TOYS BILL, CALIFORNIA - The bill, to ban phthalates from children’s toys and baby nipples, was set to be vetoed by the Governor. But the teens, also fighting to ban phthalates from cosmetic products, changed his mind. The bill became law in October 2007.

*CURRENT EVENTS*
October 26, 2007
The Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign launched its New York City chapter at Whole Foods Market Bowery to a packed house where six incredible panelists shared their wisdom and expertise and answered a variety of questions.

Click here for more information and pictures of the event:
http://www.searchforthecause.org/tfsc_nyc.html

We will continue to build the campaign in New York with many of the high schools. Let us know if you want to get involved!

November 11, 2007
GREEN FESTIVAL, SAN FRANCISCO - Campaign members spoke to over 400 people to educate the public about harmful ingredients in their daily use products. The teens will be joined by State Senator Carole Midgen and Author, Stacy Malkan excerpting from "Not Just A Pretty Face," her recently published book about the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

*PROJECT IN ACTION*
We are currently working with Senator Carole Migden, the National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, California Environment and a coalition of other organizations on drafting a piece of legislation that will protect nail workers and consumers from the toxic chemicals associated with nail polish and to force oversight on indoor air quality in the state of California.

*UPCOMING EVENTS*
November 13, 2007
CONGREGATION RODEF SHOLOM, MARIN COUNTY - Teen campaign members present “Safe Cosmetics 101” to a group of 75 + congregants. Following will be a discussion and sampling opportunities.

November 19, 2007
NATIONAL CHARITY LEAGUE CONFERENCE, MARIN COUNTY - Teen campaign members present “Safe Cosmetics 101” to a group of 50+ women. Following will be a discussion and sampling opportunities.

December 2007
MIRROR FACE FACT CAMPAIGN LAUNCH - The teens will hang Face Facts on the mirrors of the bathrooms at schools throughout the Bay Area educating students about the issues and promoting the Nation Summit in February.

January 2007
COMMUNITY PANEL, BRANSON SCHOOL, MARIN COUNTY - Moderated dialogue with authors, Stacy Malkan ( Not Just A Pretty Face) and Mark Schapiro ( Exposed ) for teens and adults focusing on the beauty industry. The goal is to educate around safer and healthier choices and their impact on our personal lives and our environment.

February 1-2, 2008
3rd ANNUAL TEENS FOR SAFE COSMETICS NATIONAL SUMMIT, MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA - Join us for a fantastic weekend of education and fun. Learn from other teen, tremendous panelists, and then start a campaign in your own school. Hosted and facilitated by Campaign members, the Summit is for high school students from across the country. Visitors will be a part of panel dialogues led by experts including green business owners, non-profit and political leaders, journalists and visionaries - and join together with the panelists to develop a blueprint with strategies and actions that will be implemented as the campaign grows and expands into communities all over the country. This year we are partnering with the National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and together will reach out to health, environmental and social justice organizations around the country to help sponsor teens to attend the summit.

April 26, 2008
TURNING GREEN: A WAY OF LIFE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - see description below
March 2008
TURNING GREEN: A WAY OF LIFE, NEW YORK
This spring, Teens for Safe Cosmetics hosts bi-coastal events called “Turning Green!” The ‘green events of the season’ will present an innovative and unique opportunity to raise “green” to new heights, by educating, informing and inspiring awareness around living the green life. This generation embraces a revolutionary vision of life beyond harmful chemicals with shared responsibility for thoughtful consumption and mindful lifestyle choices. A world where green is the standard and not the alternative and where our planet can thrive and as we work together aspiring toward a healthy sustainable future.

The evening is comprised of three elements that will drive the message of a world turning green led by a generation of teens. The event in New York will take place at Parson’s School of Design (March ’08) and in San Francisco at Fort Mason (April 08 ).

GREEN PANEL will feature esteemed leaders in the green beauty and fashion industries.

GREEN SPA will feature green, organic and eco-conscious products from a variety of companies.

GREEN DAY: A RUNWAY SHOW is an interactive event staged on a runway featuring the story of a day in the life of an eco-conscious teen girl. It is played out though a series of informational and visual vignettes as she is confronted with many choices working to embrace the green the way of life. Each of the vignettes will feature teen models on the runway highlighting products, items and information to inspire the audience to take a similar journey in their own lives. The backdrop will be a giant projection screen punctuating this unique presentation. The goal, to offer step-by-step advice so turning green can be a simple to achieve.

*PAST EVENTS*
October 2006
ROCK SAFE: BATTLE OF THE BANDS, SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA - Teen bands from the Bay Area competed for a series of prizes and a chance to record a CD at a local studio at the local Marin Youth Center (MYC). They were also the featured band at our 2007 Green Glitz and Glam Teen Benefit Ball.

November 2006
GREEN SPA / SAFE COSMETICS 101, CORTE MADERA, CALIFORNIA - A make over event at the Bay Club Marin to reach out to students from the Bay Area to become aware of the Campaign and to sample greener alternatives. The Safe Cosmetics 101 presentation engaged group of about 40 teens. Teen attendees received makeovers from professional estheticians, as well as having before and after head shots taken by a professional photographer.

February 2007
TEENS FOR SAFE COSMETICS SECOND ANNUAL SUMMIT, MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA - A weekend summit at the Marin Art & Garden Center, hosted and facilitated by teen campaign members for teens from across the country. The goal was to educate participants about the campaign so they could return to their respective schools and help expand this effort into a national forum. Teens attended panel dialogues led by experts from green businesses, political leaders and the media to learn about the strategies for building an effective advocacy campaign. Visiting teens worked together to create a blueprint for actions and next steps that will be implemented as the campaign moves forward.

March 2007
GREEN GLITZ & GLAM BENEFIT BALL, ROSS, CALIFORNIA - The evening featured a “green” fashion show with teen models wearing clothing and carrying accessories made from organic, recycled and sustainable materials that follow fair-trade practices. The Ball at The Branson School included an organic buffet dinner and dancing to a live teen band. Goals were to educate attendees in greener lifestyle choices and to attract new members.

April 2007
Project PROM, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - A rally on Union Square with hundreds of Bay Area teens to make an important statement about the fight for our right to health and seek a ban on toxic chemicals used in cosmetics. Attendees were dressed in prom dresses and tiaras to tie into Prom season, a time where teens use many products, and combat boots to symbolize the fight against toxic chemicals. Partners included San Francisco Department of the Environment, National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Pesticide Action of North America (PANNA), Marin County Dept of Supervisors. Our presenting sponsors were Whole Foods Market & Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, with support from many other green vendors. We also featured a Green Spa that enabled attendees to learn about and sample greener alternatives. The action gained impressive coverage in broadcast and print media.

May 2007
Project PROM: PART II, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - Teen Campaign members return to Union Square dressed in prom attire and combat boots in follow up to the April 24th action. Their goal was to visit each of the beauty department managers for the Union Square department stores with a letter to engage their support for the teen’s right to health as it relates to the toxic ingredients in the products sold at their counters. They want to make them aware that the FDA does not regulate the beauty industry and inform them about the chemicals that are in their products linked to cancer, reproductive problems and other health. We hope that with education and pressure, the stores will eventually integrate greener alternatives into their stores.
Throughout the months of April and May teens tabled at events and farmer’s markets around the bay area to get the word out about Project Prom.

May 2007
Project PROM: MAKEOVERS, SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA - Throughout the month of May, Whole Foods Market offered free green makeovers to teens attending prom, in partnership with the Teens for Safe Cosmetics - showing that teens don’t have to choose beauty over health on any night.

BAY TO BREAKERS RACE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - A green spa in Golden Gate Park also featured a table to gather signatures for a petition, educate about greener alternatives and sample products.

August 25, 2007
FIRST MEETING OF THE 2007-2008 SCHOOL YEAR, MARIN COUNTY CALIFORNIA -
Old and new members will begin strategizing for the upcoming year’s calendar of events. New members include teens from our partnering organization in San Francisco, the SF Dept. of the Environment as well as teens from Marin and Sonoma Counties. We will also partner with all of the North Bay Whole Foods Markets on this effort as we build toward the 3rd Annual National Safe Cosmetics Teen Summit in February which they will co-sponsor.

September 14, 2007
SERENITY GREEN SPA AT THE VILLAGE AT CORTE MADERA - The evening featured a variety of products from green companies for guests to sample. Makeup artists and estheticians along with educators introduced the public to these fabulous green alternatives.

September 23, 2007
NOW & ZEN FEST WITH ALICE RADIO - Teens for Safe Cosmetics (and Search for the Cause) was the beneficiary non-profit partner of the largest outdoor concert in the Bay Area - attended by 15,000 people. Teens for Safe Cosmetics hosted “The Green Spa” for the second year in a row (last year was a great success) which featured a collective of green companies with make up artists and estheticians applying products. They were also educated about the importance of turning green.

October 19-21, 2007
BIONEERS CONFERENCE, MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA - Brower Award winner and Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign President, Jessica Assaf presented to conference attendees. Materials and product samples were distributed to guests.

October 24, 2007
BROWER AWARD DINNER, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - Brower Award winner and Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign President, Jessica Assaf presented to conference attendees. Materials and product samples were distributed to guests.

October 25, 2007
BREARLEY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY, NEW YORK - New York Campaign Members and Teens for Safe Cosmetics Director presented at an all school assembly with "Turning Green" as the topic. Samples were distributed to 350 middle school and upper school students.

November 2, 2007
YOUTH PEER SUMMIT, MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA - Teen campaign members facilitated a workshop for hundreds of middle school students surrounding the topic "Turning Green" and making safer and healthier choices in personal care and cosmetics products. Offered green samples to try.

*EVENT OVERVIEWS*
RALLY: A public gathering to Rally for our Right to Health featuring a Green Spa, Green Market, and speakers to engage a crowd.

SAFE COSMETICS NATIONAL TEEN SUMMIT: A weekend Summit highlighted by guest speakers featuring experts from business, politics, media and non-profit organizations. The goal of the summit is to teach participants about the campaign so they can return to their schools/communities and engage their peers in establishing local chapters.

THE GREEN SPA: The Green Spa is a mobile makeup and skin care salon. Visitors can sample green products and receive makeovers from professional estheticians and make up artists, and learn first-hand the importance of making thoughtful, educated purchases in skincare. The Green Spa has been featured at concerts, health clubs, county fairs, festivals and schools.

ACTIONS / ADVOCACY PROJECTS: Campaign members engage in action to create positive change in the cosmetics industry working to eliminate toxic chemicals found in cosmetic and personal care products. Through dialogue, petitions and public actions, campaign members work with policy makers on legislative change that protects the health and well being of our population. Because of the size and influence of California, changes here can lead the way for national change.

LOBBYING: Through meetings, trips to state capitols, conversations with politicians, letter writing, and petitioning, teens can be hugely instrumental in the passage of legislation.

VISUAL PRESENTATIONS: Visuals are crucial in presenting information to crowds at events, meetings, Safe Cosmetics 101, and any other public display. PowerPoint presentations, documentaries, interviews, PSAs, and YouTube or internet viral videos are among the many mediums.

*GET EDUCATED*
Elevated rates of cancer, reproductive problems, early onset puberty, learning differences, and many other chronic health problems are on the rise. While a range of factors, from lifestyle to heredity, may contribute to these problems, scientific evidence suggests that harmful chemicals may play a significant role.

Trying to stay on top of what is potentially harmful and what is not can be challenging. To address that, we have compiled the Dirty Dozen + and Greener Alternatives as resources to help you become more informed.

*FACE FACTS*
Did you know? - The average consumer uses between fifteen and twenty-five personal care and cosmetic products everyday. Those products may contain more than two hundred synthetic chemical compounds, which may cause harm with repeated exposure.

Untested - 89% of the 6,000 chemical ingredients used in personal care products have never been tested for safety.

Unprotected - Unlike food or drugs, cosmetics are not monitored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and require neither testing nor adequate labeling.

Toxic - One in three personal care products contain one or more ingredients classified as a possible human carcinogen or reproductive toxin. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found that 884 chemicals used in personal care products and cosmetics are known to be toxic.

Chemicals banned in US vs. Europe - The European Union has banned over one thousand chemicals. The US has only banned nine.

Chemistry - An expanding body of evidence has linked pollutants and man-made chemicals in the environment and in consumer products to cancer, birth defects, and declining sperm counts among other health problems in a population.

Breast Cancer and Women - The incidence of breast cancer has increased alarming over the past sixty years: 1940 - one in twenty women, 1994 - one in nine women, 2004 - one in seven women

Damage to Men - Sperm count among men throughout the industrialized world has decreased by 50% over the last 50 years

Early Onset of Puberty - Girls get their first periods today, on average, a few months earlier than did girls 40 years ago, but they get their breasts one to two years earlier. Over the course of a few decades, the childhoods of U.S. girls have been significantly shortened.

*DIRTY DOZEN*
The Dirty Dozen is a list of 17 chemical ingredients that may be linked to cancer. Many have been banned by the European Union on suspicion of their toxicity. What you may not know is that many of the biggest manufacturers of these products reformulate without these chemicals for the European market, but continue to manufacture with these potentially dangerous chemicals for the US market. Our hope is that you will use this list to help navigate your new purchases, and use your buying power to protect your right to health and a healthy world.

This list was compiled by T4SC based on a survey of over 1,500 teens who named the products and brands they were using daily. In collaboration with a chemist, the ubiquitous chemicals were investigated for their potential harm to our health. Here are the results of our findings:

(click to view list)
www.searchforthecause.org/documents/dirty_dozen.pdf

*GREENER ALTERNATIVES*
The Greener Alternatives is a list of companies who make products with pure and organic ingredients and that employ mindful business practices that honor employees, community, and the Earth. We collaborate with companies that are green businesses and use certified organic ingredients. We also support those working in that direction. We read the labels on all ingredients and use our Dirty Dozen + resource as our benchmark.

We work with companies that:
- formulate their products using clean, organic and non-toxic ingredients
- clearly disclose all ingredients on products or packaging
- engage in fair labor practices
- integrate environmentally thoughtful and sustainable business practices including manufacturing, waste disposal, packaging, marketing & advertising
- create a minimal ecological footprint
- give back to their communities
- are eligible for a stamp of approval from our National Teen Advisory Board.

(click to view list)
http://www.searchforthecause.org/documents/greenAlternativesCS2.pdf

*TIPS FOR BUYING GREENER ALTERNATIVES*
1. Educate yourself about chemicals that are in many commercial brands by reviewing our Dirty Dozen list
2. Take our Greener Alternatives list to the store with you to help you shop for clean brands.
3. READ LABELS and don’t be fooled by companies that market themselves as natural!

*WHERE TO BUY GREENER ALTERNATIVES*
We applaud all retailers who are making the decision to providing green options to their customers.

ONLINE:
greenhome.com
purevana.com
brand-specific websites

NATIONWIDE:
Whole Foods Market
Longs Drugs, Target, CVS & Walmart are slowly integrating cleaner products onto their shelves

BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA:
Pharmaca
Real Foods
Elephant Pharm
Good Earth Natural Foods
Mollie Stone's Markets
Purevana
Rainbow Market

*THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE*
“Better Safe Than Sorry” - Our core values and underlying guidelines are based on this principle. It is a willingness to take action before scientific proof is fully established and take precautionary action when an activity poses environmental or human health risk on the grounds that further delay will prove costly to society and nature, which in the long term is selfish and unfair to the future generations.

The formal definition: “When an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically” – Wingspread Statement on The Precautionary Principle, January 1998.

*RESOURCES*
A selection of resources related to safe cosmetics, green living and other similar topics:

ONLINE:
TreeHugger.com
GreenGirl.com
EcoFabulous.com
Sprig.com
IdealBite.com
ChemicalBodyBurden.org
CosmeticsDatabase.com
SafeCosmetics.org
TheGreenGuide.org
GreenHome.com
Pbs.org/tradesecrets
BuildingGreen.com
GreenHomeBuilding.com
BeyondPesticides.com
EnergyFields.com

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS:
National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Breast Cancer Fund
Environmental Working Group
Breast Cancer Action
Commonweal
Silent Spring Institute
Pesticide Action Network of North America
National Resources Defense Council
Children’s Health Environmental Coalition
Organic Trade Association
Center for Science in the Public Interest

BOOKS:
“Not Just A Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry” by Stacy Malkan, 2007
“Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What’s at Stake for American Power” by Mark Schapiro, 2007
“The Precautionary Principle in Action: A Handbook” by Joel A Tickner, 1999

*CAMPAIGN TOOLKIT*
We have the materials to provide you with to start your own campaign:
Dirty Dozen +
Greener Alternatives
Brochures & Collaterals
E-Newsletter Archive
Fact Sheets
Surveys
Advertisements
Postcards

*PRESS / ARTICLES*
Many articles have been written about the health hazards linked to chemicals in our environment and products. We will continually post articles and offer new information as we learn of it.

New York Times
"Fresh-Faced Eco-consumers"
By Virginia Sole-Smith
Published: November 1, 2007
www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/fashion/01SkinSide.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

CBS Television
“Buying Green May Be Better For Your Health”
Aired: November 12, 2007
www.cbs5.com/video/?id=28447@kpix.dayport.com

Youth Noise / YouTube
"YouthNoise interviews Teens for Safe Cosmetics"
Posted: April 27, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOYcPUEZPlc&mode=related&search=

Teens for Safe Cosmetics PSA / YouTube
"Teens for Safe Cosmetics, Project: Prom"
Posted: April 19, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2B8FDo7rU0

What Kids Can Do
"California teens fight carcinogens in beauty products"
By: Joanna Klonsky
Published: 2007

New York Times
"Should You Trust Your Makeup? "
By: Natasha Singer
Published: February 15, 2007

Vogue
"Toxic Overload"
By: Jancee Dunn
Published: October 2006

*NON-PROFIT & GOVERNMENT PARTNERS*
National Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANNA)
San Francisco Department of the Environment
Senator Carole Migden
Supervisor Hal Brown
Assembly Member Jared Huffman
Environmental Working Group

*SPONSORS*
Our sponsors are not just donors to our cause, but true partners in the effort to raise awareness about the imperative need for safer and healthier products. If you are not already a sponsor, please consider becoming one.
And please support our business sponsors by learning more about their products and services - and tell your friends, too! We are able to do the work that we do because of our wonderful, supportive sponsors. Thank you!

Whole Foods Market, Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, Axion Design, Dr. Bronner’s, EO Products, John Masters Organics, Pomega 5, Duchess Marden, Lafe’s Natural & Organic, Jurlique, Weleda, Natracare, Organic Essentials, Seventh Generation, Grateful Body, Pangea, Benedetta, Josie Maran Cosmetics, EcoFabulous.com

*LEADERSHIP*
The teen campaign members bring along the savvy, strength, resilience, passion and knowledge to lead this campaign. They are supervised by and collaborate with adults comprised of a board of directors, staff, volunteers, teens, and experts from non-profits and a multitude of professional fields. This collective group brings wisdom and vision to help steer the campaign as a strong and visible force.

NATIONAL TEEN ADVISORY BOARD
- Erin Schrode
- Jessica Assaf
- Carly Wertheim
- Kate Alper
- Kate Smith
- Danielle Littman
- Hannah Gross
- Mattie Kahn
- Anne Baldwin
- Natalie Whelan
- Darya Watnick

STAFF
- Judi Shils, Executive Director
- Lisa Wertheim, Development and Program Director
- Chiara Calanchini, Office Manager

*CONTACT INFORMATION*
Teens for Safe Cosmetics
Mailing Address
PO Box 1146
Ross, CA 94957

Office Address
2330 Marinship Way
Suite 190
Sausalito, CA 94965

415.289.1001 (telephone)
415.289.1012 (fax)

teensforsafecosmetics.org

Project Description

I became interested in Alzheimer's research five years ago when my father was diagnosed with the disease at 52 years of age. This year,(after moving from Denver, CO to Fort Smith, AR) I decided I wanted to do something to help. I went to one of the few people I felt I could talk to; my science teacher, Steve Arnold. After telling him about my dad and what I wanted to do, he sent out an e-mail to everyone on his list asking if they knew a way that I could get in touch with someone who knew how I could help. He almost immediately received an e-mail telling me to get in contact with Cheryl Bled saw, the director of the Alzheimer's Association for our district. Mr. Arnold called her and told her about what I had gone through and what I wanted to do. She then told him about a public policy trip that the Association took every year. On this trip, citizens from each state speak do the congressmen and women for their state about funding for Alzheimer's research. Later that day I called Cheryl and told her that I wanted to go. She spoke with her fellow board members and arranged for me to have a grant to fly to Washington, D.C and speak with our congressmen and women. So, over spring break, I flew to Washington, D.C. with my mother and spoke with all the senators and representatives for the state of Arkansas. Before I left for Washington, I had an interview with the newspaper for all of Arkansas, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, and after I came back, I had another interview with the Fort Smith newspaper, the Southwest Times Record.
This year, I also participated in the thirteenth annual Memory Walk. Prior to the walk, I had a fund raiser at my school and succeeded in raising $323 for the walk. I spoke to the student body at my Junior High School and put together a team for the walk as well. With their contributions, we raised over $500.
On June 12, I am going to Tulsa, OK, to speak on the board of directors for the Alzheimer's Association about my efforts and what I have done so far. I am also receiving an award on August ninth for the person who contributed the most to Alzheimer's research in Arkansas.

Project Description

My name is Miranda and I live in Texas in a small suburb outside the capital city of Austin. Our area contains a lot of children with special needs and disabilities and each year we get even more children. However, the special education CO-OP that my school is a part of does not always have funds needed to by needed equipment to the children, such as safety helmets or items to improve their motor skills. My goal is to raise money so that that forgotten necessities in the classrooms will be able to be paid for and will be bought. I am still working out plains for the fund-raising process but I will accept any support that anyone may be able to provide!!

Project Description

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a widely misunderstood neurobiological disorder characterized by tics, involuntary motor involvements and vocalizations.

The Youth Ambassador Training Program for the National Tourette Syndrome Association trains teens to raise awareness about TS; to advocate for themselves and for others and to educate their peers and younger children with accurate information by going into classrooms, schools and clubs to teach understanding, sensitivity and tolerance of TS and its symptoms, while displacing the myths and stereotypes that are often attributed to and associated with this misunderstood and misdiagnosed disorder.

http://www.tsa-usa.org/People/kids/YouthAm.htm

Project Description

It is often assumed that the world has not seen slavery since African slavery was abolished. Yet in today’s world, 2 million boys and girls are enslaved in the child sex industry—raped for pay, sold into prostitution, trafficked across borders, and bought as sexual souvenirs by tourists. The average age of these children is 13, however, there have been reports of children as young as 5…months.

I was awakened to this fact when I was 16. Flipping through a book for a project in my grade 10 Civics class, I read about the plight of children in Patpong, Thailand who are forced to dance on stage for customers and service more than 26 of them a night. I was horrified by this, and I contrasted my life with the lives of these children-- the differences were astounding. “How could this happen? All children should be able to enjoy their right to a childhood!” , I thought. I decided that I was not going to turn a blind eye, rather, I was going to take action.

My first step was to educate myself. I took multiple trips to the library, spent hours on the internet, and called up organizations working in the field—all in an effort to be knowledgeable to speak out. After a while, I felt a yearning to meet these children. I wanted to hear their stories of exploitation and abuse, and ask them how youth could help.

I was 17 when I decided to take 3.5 months off from school and travel to Sri Lanka to investigate the issue of child exploitation. I met with child labourers, soldiers, and prostitutes and in order to obtain an insider’s look into the child sex trade, I decided to act as the decoy, a 15 year-old child prostitute in an undercover STING operation in collaboration with the National Child Protection Authority. The operation was successful, and a 40+ man, who was married with two children (ages 5 and 7) and the Assistant General Manager of the Finance Department of a Multinational Corporation was arrested. I raised my concerns with the Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka on Social Infrastructure, who I managed to convert from a cynic to a believer and supporter of youth as changemakers.

My experiences in Sri Lanka led me to begin a unique initiative that mobilized Air Canada to partner with youth by screening youth-produced inflight videos warning against child sex tourism. This initiative grew to involve hundreds of children and youth in Canada, but in our research, we made a discovery—an organization that was powered by youth dedicated to ending the commercial sexual exploitation of children was non-existent.

I gathered a group of friends, and in an effort to fill this void, OneChild was born.

Today, OneChild is the only organization of its kind dedicated to ending the global sex trade in children. With its “by youth, for youth” approach, OneChild is an advocate for the world’s most exploited children, using youth empowerment as a tool to raise awareness and support child victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

OneChild works to :

1.Advance the rights of children and promote networks of support child victims;

2. Raise awareness and provide information

3. Develop youth programs and educational materials

4. Investigate the causes and factors contributing to the commercial sexual exploitation of children

Although new, OneChild has made strides in turning the tables on the global sex trade as a new, powerful, and distinct voice in this monumental struggle to protect children. OneChild was recently honoured with the 2006 World of Children Founder's Award. To learn more, visit www.one-child.ca

OneChild’s latest project: Build-a –Rehab Centre!

A new partnership between OneChild and the People’s Recovery Empowerment Development and Assistance Foundation (PREDA) has been formed. OneChild is working to raise the funds for the construction of a new rehabilitation centre for sexually exploited girls in the Philippines. The rehabilitation centre will provide shelter, three meals per day, a therapeutic recovery program that includes emotional expression therapy, family therapy counseling, and formal and non-formal education. Such a program is based on affirmation, empowerment, and healing, and develops the child’s self-esteem.

Project Description

Ashley Rhodes-Courter was born in North Carolina in 1985 and entered foster care in 1989. Over the next nine years, she lived in 14 placements before being adopted at age 12 by Phil and Gay Courter of Crystal River, Florida. By law, she had all the rights and privileges of any other American child, but her circumstances put her in a position where she had no parents, no home, and no voice for almost ten years. Many of her 14 foster homes were illegally overcrowded, one was extremely abusive, and two were modern orphanages serving troubled and dangerous children. When she was seven, she landed in a very abusive foster home where 16 children shared a three-bedroom trailer. They were underfed, beaten, forced to swallow hot sauce, run laps in the blistering sun, and crouch in painful stress positions—similar to the ones used on the prisoners in Iraq.
Since she was 14, her speeches have encouraged children still waiting for permanent homes, inspired more parents to adopt older children, and helped change the hearts and minds of those in power so today’s foster children won’t get lost in a system that is failing them. Ashley has made it her mission to be a voice for the thousands of children who are neglected in foster care each day. Ashley gives inspiration to troubled youth who feel like their lives, actions, and ideas don’t matter.
From kindergarten to the third grade, she changed schools at least twice a year. Yet for her, academic institutions were sanctuaries where she was rewarded for her hard work and given the encouragement and support to succeed despite the horrors that were happening in her “home” life. Even when she was stripped of family and possessions, she knew that she would have a safe place to spend the day and ultimately gain an education she would have for the rest of her life.
Because of this, Ashley gives thanks and a wide variety of motivational speeches to schools and colleges, educators, administrators, volunteers, Court Appointed Special Advocates CASA’s, Guardians ad Litem, and other foster care and adoption organizations. Ashley will make you laugh, cry, but most importantly, will motivate you to overcome your adversities and make the world a better place for yourself and others.
In recent years Ashley has broadened her messages to support a wider range of motivational applications, including overcoming personal challenges and succeeding with educational goals.

Project Description

Andrew Ramirez Robertson served as the Deputy Director of Border Water Works in McAllen, TX and Albuquerque, NM. Andrew empowered more than 3,000 low-income residents of border communities called Colonias to create their own sewage and drainage systems through self-help construction projects.  Through legislative advocacy, he helped make $18 million available for community-led environmental projects and expanded access to water, sewer and electricity services for border residents. Andrew won a BRICK Award in 2000.