to avoid dioxin and repeated consultations by environmentalists...

["Susan K. Snow" <sksnow@1stnet.com>]

Dear Multiple recipients of dioxin list,

Two years ago, our daughter attended the University of Edinburgh, Scotland 
where she learned, among other things, that the paper which came from Sweden 
was bleached without chlorine (or chlorine-dioxide).  Instead, the Swedish 
pulp and paper industry used hydrogen peroxide to lighten pulp and paper, 
hence, no dioxin or other organochlorines.  It is my understanding that the 
paper manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada have the technology to do the 
same, but won't.  Apparently, they would rather pay off lawmakers and battle 
with those concerned about their children's stolen future.

For this reason, I buy totally chlorine-free Kenaf paper for my printing and 
writing needs.  However, Kenaf is not available to everything.  Therefore, to 
reduce the dioxin from entering the environment, I purchase 100 percent 
recycled, 100% post-consumer paper.  It still contains dioxins, but does not 
add more into the environment, I'm told.

Those who think life begins and ends with the abortion issue cannot tell the 
forest from the trees.  Many lives cannot be born because they cannot be 
conceived or carried to term; other lives are simply damaged or spontaneously 
aborted after conception from certaom petrochemicals in the environment.  The 
same petrochemicals that are  released during the manufacture, use, and 
disposal of things we all use.

I  for one, would be delighted to go back to durable, reusable materials. For 
example, sterilized glass milk bottles instead of HDPE; syringes, metal bed 
pans instead of chlorinated plastics.  By purchasing durable, reusable 
products that are not made from chlorinated chemicals illnesses would go 
down, hospital wastes would be reduced, and the waste and petrochemical 
industry would destroy less of the planet and the world's food chains.  I 
support waste prevention; rather than reduction by means of incineration for 
energy recovery.  That's why I dropped my local newspaper, opting instead to 
pick it up at the library.  

I support life, rather than the right for polluters to poison us for profit.
Susan K Snow