Guest Blogger
Tamara Rubin
Winner of the Inaugural National Healthy Homes Hero award presented in June 2011 by a consortium of Federal agencies (including the EPA, CDC, HUD, USDA and U.S. Department of Energy), Tamara Rubin has been a childhood lead poisoning prevention advocate since her children were poisoned by the work of a painting contractor in 2005.
Later this month she is being presented with the 2011 Healthy Child Healthy World “Mom On A Mission” award.
Earlier this year she founded the nonprofit Lead Safe America Foundation (LSAF) http://www.leadsafeamerica.org to provide emergency intervention and support to families whose children have been poisoned by lead in their homes. LSAF also engages in education and outreach efforts for lead poisoning prevention including the promotion of the use of lead safe work practices in home improvement projects.
LSAF receives no government funding and is wholly supported by contributions from business and individuals [like yourself!]
Tamara has helped get Federal and State legislation passed to protect children from lead in their homes and her story has appeared on most major television networks (including CBS, ABC, NBC & Fox) in conjunction with the implementation of the recent legislation –the EPA RRP Rule. Her personal volunteer advocacy website can be found at http://www.mychildrenhaveleadpoisoning.com.
She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and four sons – Charlie, Avi, A.J. & Cole – ages 3, 6, 9 & 15.
Halloween
“Lead poisoning remains the number one preventable environmental health concern for children in America today. ” 5/11/11 letter from Louise M. Slaughter & Robert A. Brady, Members of Congress From a parent’s perspective, many holidays have hazards to worry about. Who hasn’t picked up the paper during the winter holidays and seen a story of [...]
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Schools
Parents often assume that schools are safe. They imagine there must be a set of Federal regulations in place that ensure our children are not exposed to potent environmental toxins in their schools and daycares – where they spend most of their time outside of the home.
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Shoes Off
Rule number one in keeping a lead-safe home is: “Please take your shoes off outside and leave them there—no exceptions!”
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Chickens
If someone were to ask me, “What has been the most unexpected subject you have learned about in your advocacy work?”, I’d have to say lead paint hazards in the context of the Urban Chicken movement!
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Thomas
When I talk to people about lead poisoning they always ask about toys. The recent concern over lead in toys has brought the issue to the forefront of American parental consciousness.
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“Occupy”
We’re all following this “Occupy Wall Street” movement now to some degree. You can’t avoid it. Even if you’re someone like me – a busy, working mom with four young boys – who often can’t find the time to watch the news or even pick up a newspaper on a regular basis, it’s part of [...]
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