All posts by Nativegrl77

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Toxic Fashions… have things changed or just gotten worse?


So, can I say, play it again Sam!

Sometime around the 21st  of November in 2012, Greenpeace discovered and exposed Zara as one of…  maybe too many companies using manufacturers that have toxic chemicals in their clothing… 

On the 29th of November,  a statement of commitment from Zara’s manufacturing company to toxic-free fashion ~~ below  Clothes rack

Achieving the Zero Discharge

        Inditex‘s commitment, in connection with the use of chemical substances in the manufacturing process of its products, is reflected in its chemical policy, which establishes restrictions and prohibitions in the use of these substances.

        So far, this policy has been developed and periodically updated in conformity with the most demanding international legislation and in collaboration with the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). The policy regulates not only those “substances whose use is legally limited” and which, if present in the product above certain levels, could be hazardous for human health, such as: Formaldehyde, Arylamines, Phenols (PCP, TeCP), Cadmium, Lead, Chromium (VI), Nickel, Allergenic Dyes, among others; additionally, it limits the use of certain parameters not contemplated by the effective legislation, such as: Organochlorinated Compounds and Isocyanates. In order to guarantee the compliance of said policy by Inditex’s suppliers, Inditex carries out audits and regular inspections of the production processes and continuous reviews of the products.

        INDITEX Commitment to Zero Discharge

        27th November 2012

        In line with Inditex’s long-term sustainability program Inditex recognizes the urgent need for eliminating industrial releases of all hazardous chemicals (1).  According to its approach based on prevention (2) and the Precautionary Principle (3) Inditex is committed to zero discharges (4) of all hazardous chemicals from the whole lifecycle and all production procedures that are associated with the making and using of all products Inditex sells (5) by 01 January 2020. Inditex recognises that to achieve this goal, mechanisms for disclosure and transparency about the hazardous chemicals used in its global supply chain are important and necessary, in line with the ‘Right to Know principle’ (6). In line with this principle Inditex will increase the public availability and transparency of its restricted substance list and audit process and will set up public disclosure of discharges of hazardous chemicals in its supply chain.

        Inditex also commits to support systemic (i.e. wider societal and policy) change to achieve zero discharge of hazardous chemicals (associated with supply chain and the lifecycles of products) within one generation (7) or less. This commitment includes sustained investment in moving industry, government, science and technology to deliver on systemic change and to affect system change across the industry towards this goal.

        The 2020 goal also demands the collective action of industry, as well as engagement of regulators and other stakeholders. To this end, Inditex will work with other companies in the apparel sector and other brands it could sell, as well as material suppliers, the broader chemical industry, NGOs and other stakeholders to achieve this goal.

        Inditex understands the scope of the commitment to be a long term vision – with short term practice to be defined by the following individual action plan:

        Individual action plan.

        1. Supply-chain disclosure.

        In line with Inditex’s commitment to the public’s ‘right to know’ the chemical substances used within its global supply chain and the products it sells, Inditex will be taking the following actions:

        1. publish its updated ‘Restricted Substances List’ and audit processes by the end of April 2013, and annually thereafter.        

        2. begin public disclosure of discharges of hazardous chemicals in its supply chain via individual facility level disclosure of chemical use and discharges data, to be achieved via an incremental process, beginning with the following actions:

        i) by no later than end of March 2013 public disclosure of at least 10 Chinese supplier facilities, plus at least 10 additional facilities in other parts of the “global south” (i.e. 20 facilities in total);        

        ii) by no later than December 2013, at least another 30 Chinese  supplier facilities (in addition to the facilities in i) above), plus at least another50 additional facilities in other parts of the “global south” (in addition to the facilities in i) above, i.e. 100 facilities in total;

        using a credible public online platform, with full facility transparency (i.e.  location and individual data of facilities) and covering at least the hazardous chemicals within the 11 priority groups of chemicals (8)

        

        2. APEO elimination policy.

        Inditex recognises the intrinsic hazardousness of all APEOs, and therefore acknowledges it is a priority to eliminate their use across its global supply chain. There are multiple supply-chain pathways for potential APEO contamination (including chemical formulations). Inditex will enhance both training and auditing of its supply-chain in conjunction with other global brands, as well as ensuring its suppliers have the latest information on APEOs,  highlighting where there is a risk that APEOs may enter into the undocumented contamination of chemical supplier formulations.

        In addition to these actions, Inditex will enforce its APEO ban with the following actions:

        i. initiate an investigation into the current compliance to this requirement, reporting the findings to the public and simultaneously strengthening its supplier legal agreement language to ensure only APEO-free chemical formulations are utilized by the end of April 2013,

        ii. work with its supply chain and other global industry leaders, to ensure the most current technological limits of detection are reflected via the lowest detectable limits within its testing regimes.

        

        3. Perfluorocarbon (PFC) elimination policy.

        In application of the precautionary principle, and recognizing that enough scientific evidence is available pointing towards a recognizable hazard posed by PFCs, Inditex commits to impose a ban on PFOS, PFOA, their salts and derivatives, and  telomeric alcohols by January 2013. This prohibition includes the manufacturing of any products Inditex sells.

        With respect to the use of PFCs, Inditex agrees to the following actions:

        i. Inditex commits to eliminate C8, C7, C6 PFC based substances in manufacturing, and in any of the products it sells no later than the end of 2013.

        ii. Inditex commits to work with suitable technical / scientific partners and stakeholders to find safer, non-fluorinated alternatives in the shortest timespan possible, with the goal of substituting all perfluorocarbon compounds with suitable, non-hazardous, non-fluorinated alternatives.

        iii.    The timelines for the elimination of all remaining PFCs will be as follows: elimination of 50% of all remaining PFCs (from the base of PFCs used as of 2012) used by January 2015; and the total elimination of all PFC use in manufacturing and in products by the end of 2015.

        The elimination of all PFC use by the products it sells will be supported by:

        i. A review of all products it produces to ensure there are no PFCs in the products we sell,

        ii. a rigorous system of control to ensure that no traces of PFCs find their way into its supply chain in line with the above.

        

        4. Targets for other hazardous chemicals.

        Inditex commits to regularly review the science of the chemicals used in the textiles/apparel industry and periodically update its chemical policy, at least annually, to further restrict or ban chemicals, as new evidence on their impact becomes available.

        In this context, its recognizes the need to not only report to the public the evidence of elimination of the 11 groups of hazardous chemicals identified as a priority but also set clear intermediate progress targets on the elimination of hazardous chemicals (beyond these 11 priority chemical groups) and the introduction of non-hazardous chemicals by 2015 on the road to elimination by 01 January 2020.

        Inditex will also ensure that it is part of an industry wide approach to ensure the use of chemicals in the products its sells and that is managed responsibly and in line with the above commitment, and in particular the intrinsic hazards approach. In line with this, Inditex commits to reinforce the work of the sectoral chemical inventory and hazardous substance black list, aiming to establish this inventory, and the black list, based on an intrinsically hazardous screening methodology, by no later than December 2013.

        The individual actions covered above will be reassessed by Inditex at regular intervals – at least annually.

        

        5. Further Actions.

        Within 8 weeks of the public release of this commitment, Inditex will publish further actions for its Individual Action Plan:

        Including a number of substitution case studies (e.g. where in the past, or currently, Inditex has substituted any of the 11 groups of hazardous chemicals as per below (8), with others non-hazardous chemicals) via a credible format (e.g. ‘Subsport system’).

      Download – Further actions included in the Individual Action Plan (updated as of 1st February 2013)

        ——————————————————————————————–

         (1) All hazardous chemicals means all those that show intrinsically hazardous properties: persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT); very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB); carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction (CMR); endocrine disruptors (ED), or other properties of equivalent concern, (not just those that have been regulated or restricted in other regions). This will require establishing – ideally with other industry actors – a corresponding list of the hazardous chemicals concerned that will be regularly reviewed.

        (2) This means solutions are focused on elimination of use at source, not on end-of-pipe or risk management. This requires either substitution with non-hazardous chemicals or where necessary finding non- chemical alternative solutions, such as re-evaluating product design or the functional need for chemicals.        

        (3) This means taking preventive action before waiting for conclusive scientific proof regarding cause and effect between the substance (or activity) and the damage. It is based on the assumption that some hazardous substances cannot be rendered harmless by the receiving environment (i.e. there are no ‘environmentally acceptable’/’safe’ use or discharge levels) and that prevention of potentially serious or irreversible damage is required, even in the absence of full scientific certainty. The process of applying the Precautionary Principle must involve an examination of the full range of alternatives, including, where necessary, substitution through the development of sustainable alternatives where they do not already exist. The Precautionary Principle is applied across all products sold by Inditex (and any entities directed by, or licenced by the Inditex “Group” of entities).

        (4) Zero discharge means elimination of all releases, via all pathways of release, i.e. discharges, emissions and losses, from its supply chain and its products.  “Elimination” or “zero” means ‘not detectable, to the limits of current technology’, and only naturally occurring background levels are acceptable.

        (5) This means the commitment applies to the environmental practices of the entire company (group, and all entities it directs or licences) and for all products sold by Inditex or any of its subsidiaries. This includes all its suppliers or facilities horizontally across all owned brands and licensed companies as well as vertically down its supply chain.

        (6) Right to Know is defined as practices that allow members of the public access to environmental information – in this case specifically about the uses and discharges of chemicals based on reported quantities of releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment, chemical-by-chemical, facility-by-facility, at least year-by-year.

        (7) One generation is generally regarded as 20-25 years.

        (8) the 11 priority hazardous chemical groups are : 1. Alkylphenols 2. Phthalates 3.Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants 4. Azo dyes 5. Organotin compounds 6. Perfluorinated chemicals 7. Chlorobenzenes 8. Chlorinated solvents 9. Chlorophenols 10. Short chain chlorinated paraffins 11. Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, mercury and chromium (VI).

Stay tuned in to see if they can succeed …

Be a Seed for Change

In 2023, I definitely signed a few petitions putting Zara on blast.  I had my own experience with a company to remain unnamed that not only produces dodgy clothes i tried wearing the supposed 60% cotton and aside from an incredibly awful odor even after washing the clothes the chemical stink while wearing them was unbearable.  I will also admit to knowing the chance of some of these issues was a possibility… but uh wow wow wow, a few folks think this shit is new… Nah

Nativegrl77

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

the new state of Israel ~ read learn share … do some research


On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaims the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years. In an afternoon ceremony at the Tel Aviv Art Museum, Ben-Gurion pronounced the words “We hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine, to be called Israel,” prompting applause and tears from the crowd gathered at the museum. Ben-Gurion became Israel’s first premier.

In the distance, the rumble of guns could be heard from fighting that broke out between Jews and Arabs immediately following the British army withdrawal earlier that day. Egypt launched an air assault against Israel that evening. Despite a blackout in Tel Aviv–and the expected Arab invasion–Jews joyously celebrated the birth of their new nation, especially after word was received that the United States had recognized the Jewish state. At midnight, the State of Israel officially came into being upon termination of the British mandate in Palestine.

Modern Israel has its origins in the Zionism movement, established in the late 19th century by Jews in the Russian Empire who called for the establishment of a territorial Jewish state after enduring persecution. In 1896, Jewish-Austrian journalist Theodor Herzl published an influential political pamphlet called The Jewish State, which argued that the establishment of a Jewish state was the only way of protecting Jews from anti-Semitism. Herzl became the leader of Zionism, convening the first Zionist Congress in Switzerland in 1897. Ottoman-controlled Palestine, the original home of the Jews, was chosen as the most desirable location for a Jewish state, and Herzl unsuccessfully petitioned the Ottoman government for a charter.

After the failed Russian Revolution of 1905, growing numbers of Eastern European and Russian Jews began to immigrate to Palestine, joining the few thousand Jews who had arrived earlier. The Jewish settlers insisted on the use of Hebrew as their spoken language. With the collapse of the Ottoman Empireduring World War I, Britain took over Palestine. In 1917, Britain issued the “Balfour Declaration,” which declared its intent to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Although protested by the Arab states, the Balfour Declaration was included in the British mandate over Palestine, which was authorized by the League of Nations in 1922. Because of Arab opposition to the establishment of any Jewish state in Palestine, British rule continued throughout the 1920s and ’30s.

Beginning in 1929, Arabs and Jews openly fought in Palestine, and Britain attempted to limit Jewish immigration as a means of appeasing the Arabs. As a result of the Holocaust in Europe, many Jews illegally entered Palestine during World War II. Radical Jewish groups employed terrorism against British forces in Palestine, which they thought had betrayed the Zionist cause. At the end of World War II, in 1945, the United States took up the Zionist cause. Britain, unable to find a practical solution, referred the problem to the United Nations, which in November 1947 voted to partition Palestine.

The Jews were to possess more than half of Palestine, although they made up less than half of Palestine’s population. The Palestinian Arabs, aided by volunteers from other countries, fought the Zionist forces, but by May 14, 1948, the Jews had secured full control of their U.N.-allocated share of Palestine and also some Arab territory. On May 14, Britain withdrew with the expiration of its mandate, and the State of Israel was proclaimed. The next day, forces from Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq invaded.

The Israelis, though less well equipped, managed to fight off the Arabs and then seize key territory, such as Galilee, the Palestinian coast, and a strip of territory connecting the coastal region to the western section of Jerusalem. In 1949, U.N.-brokered cease-fires left the State of Israel in permanent control of this conquered territory. The departure of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs from Israel during the war left the country with a substantial Jewish majority.

During the third Arab-Israeli conflict–the Six-Day War of 1967–Israel again greatly increased its borders, capturing from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria the Old City of Jerusalem, the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights. In 1979, Israel and Egypt signed an historic peace agreement in which Israel returned the Sinai in exchange for Egyptian recognition and peace. Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed a major peace accord in 1993, which envisioned the gradual implementation of Palestinian self-government in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Israeli-Palestinian peace process moved slowly, however, and in 2000 major fighting between Israelis and Palestinians resumed in Israel and the occupied territories.

resource: history.com

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

USDA~ FSN ~ FDA ~ November 2025 -Recalls – Food Safety Alerts – Previous Month & last day of prior month update


** MAMTAKIM Inc Recalls Dried Whole Smelts Salted (KORUSHKA) Because of Possible Health Risk

** Supreme Deli LLC Voluntarily Recalls Boar’s Head Pecorino Romano Cheese Because of Possible Health Risk

** Yoplait brand drinkable yogurt recalled

ByHeart finds spores that cause botulism in unopened cans of infant formula; recalled products remain on store shelves

More patients identified in outbreak of infant botulism tied to ByHeart formula

Enoki mushrooms under recall in Canada because of Listeria

** Food To Live, of Brooklyn, NY, is recalling its packaged Organic Moringa Leaf Powder (dried Moringa oleifera) and its Organic Supergreens Powder Mix distributed under the Food To Live brand that are in the following sizes:

ORGANIC SUPERGREENS POWDER MIX in 8 ounce, 1 pound, 1.5 pound, 3 pound, 6 pound, and 12 pound bags.

ORGANIC MORINGA LEAF POWDER, in 8 ounce, 1 pound, 2 pound, 4 pound, 8 pound, 16 pound, and 44 pound bags. “Organic Moringa Leaf Powder” and “Organic Supergreens Powder Mix” are packaged in plastic stand-up pouches of various sizes (ranging from 8 ounces to 44 pounds). Only packages with lot codes starting with “SO-69006” and ending with “SO-72558” (printed directly onto the back of the bag) are affected. No other Food To Live products and lots are involved in this recall. Consumers with questions can call Food To Live at (718) 717-1029 during business hours (8:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST, Monday through Friday, or email recall@foodtolive.com for assistance. Media inquiries or requests for more information should be directed to the contact person listed above.

** Face Rock Creamery LLC of Bandon, OR is voluntarily recalling 16/6oz. units of Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar with a use-by date of 11/04/26 The affected Vampire Slayer Cheddar Block with a use-by date of 11/04/26 was sold exclusively at Face Rock Flagship store located at 680 2nd St. SE, Bandon, Oregon.Approximately 16 units were sold between November 10th at 3:30pm PT and November 13th, 2025 at 3:30pm PT.

If you purchased the 6oz. Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar, UPC 8 512222 00547 8, during the specified dates above, please either destroy the product or return it to our retail location for a full refund. Customers with questions about this recall should call 541-347-3223 between 9am-4pm PT, Monday-Friday, or send email to info@facerockcreamery.com

** The recalled Organic Moringa Leaf Powder was sold nationwide through the company’s website, africaimports.com. The affected product is packaged in 1-kilogram boxes labeled “Organic Moringa Leaf Powder.” Photos of the affected product are attached to this notice to assist customers in identifying the product. All Organic Moringa Leaf Powder purchased after 06/05/2025 is included in this recall. For additional information, please contact Wayne Kiltz, President of Africa Imports, at 201-457-1995 x236 or africa@africaimports.com.

FDA Outbreak Advisory

** ByHeart expands recall of infant formula linked to outbreak of botulism poisonings

** Salmonella in sprouts sickens 44 in Australia

** FDA warned infant formula maker about unsanitary plant conditions two years before outbreak

** Enoki mushrooms recalled in Canada for contamination with Listeria

** Moonlight Companies is voluntarily recalling California-grown conventional yellow and white peaches because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. This recall is being conducted because Listeria monocytogenes was identified in the packing facility environment. The recalled peaches were sold at retail stores nationwide between September 16, 2025 and October 29, 2025. The peaches were either sold as individual pieces of fruit bearing PLU stickers or as multi-packs. This recall does not include packages or PLU stickers with the words “Washington” and/or “Organic.”
Consumers with questions can contact 855-215-5017, Monday – Friday from 8 am – 5 pm Eastern Time.

** Vanguard Enterprises, LLC. DBA Bedrock MFG of Boise, Idaho is recalling Monarch Premium Kratom brand Bali Gold, Red Bali, Green Maeng Da, and White Elephant powder because product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Consumers who have the affected Monarch Premium Kratom powder at home are urged not to consume products and contact support@bedrockmfg.co for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 888-347-5088, Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm GMT.

Monarch Premium Kratom – Product Lot Summary
Product Name UPC Code Lot Code
Monarch Premium Kratom, Bali Gold, 4oz powder (112g)851006008428020123PA3F-T
Monarch Premium Kratom, Bali Gold, 8oz powder (224g)706970483712020123PA3F-T
Monarch Premium Kratom, Green Maeng Da, 4oz powder (112g)851006008466020123PA3F-G
Monarch Premium Kratom, Green Maeng Da, 0.5oz powder (14g)851006008770020123PA3F-G
Monarch Premium Kratom, Green Maeng Da, 2oz powder (56g)851006008459020123PA3F-G
Monarch Premium Kratom, Red Bali, 4oz powder (112g)851006008442020123PA3F-R
Monarch Premium Kratom, Red Bali, 8oz powder (224g)706970483859020123PA3F-R
Monarch Premium Kratom, Red Bali, 2oz powder (56g)851006008435020123PA3F-R
Monarch Premium Kratom, White Elephant, 4oz powder (112g)851006008480020123PA3F-W
Monarch Premium Kratom, White Elephant, 0.5oz powder (14g)851006008756020123PA3F-W
Monarch Premium Kratom, White Elephant, 8oz powder (224g)706970483644020123PA3F-W

** Listeria Outbreak Linked to Pasta Meals – the Rest of the Untold Story

** New Salmonella outbreak traced to dietary supplement imported from India; recall initiated

** Whole peaches recalled because of Listeria

** More cinnamon added to public alert because of elevated levels of lead

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

So, what does Packing and Cracking mean to you as a voter? …


Redistricting or

~ Packing~  opposition voters into districts (concentrate as many voters of one type – (maybe party&race ) means they already win 

~ Cracking~  the remainder among districts where they are moved into the minority (increasing votes for eventual losers), the number of wasted votes among the opposition can be maximized. Similarly, with supporters holding narrow margins in the unpacked districts, the number of wasted votes among supporters is minimized.

So, the question is … what will help all American voters against redistricting Black Folks outta their communities

: paper ballots, digital voting, touchID, passcodes … something has to change!

How obvious is it to note that it’s time to deal with old outdated, complicit relationships that conflict with ethics morality democracy …oh separation of powers, church and state, lest we talk about the Constitution 

 Time to wipe up the Congressional floor with Republican ideologies.

The things that are on my mind while Congress continues to take a few days here there making it a whole less than the 270-365 days at work usually required by the rest of us… called a congressional recess? seriously

It would be great if Voters who believe in Equality in all its forms would vote for Ds …  Those of us Must Stand up to congressional redistricting & continue to Stay in LINE for our democracy … please use our most powerful weapon as Americans and that is our right to VOTE

Mid-term Elections Matter, and thanks to checks and balances, voters can see the bs through the lies and fascist actions which are needed in this era of trump … but is it enough? The guy still seems outta control, and people who either worked during the era of trump or know folks who work there are trying to warn us the guy is suffering from something on some level … why is his health and behavior being ignored by MAGA congressional members ?

~~ Nativegrl77