Corporations and Society

noradawn wrote us to tell us about corporate social responsibility (CSR):

“Are corporate giants waking up? The increase of public demand for more sustainable and socially responsible practices is causing the giants of the business world to reevaluate how they do things and start implementing new practices. In essence, doing what they can to save the world. This practice commonly called CSR is being seen more and more in giants such as Wal-Mart, Levi & Strauss, and Hasbro to name a few.

The trend was started by smaller, socially and environmentally aware companies such as Tom’s of maine toothpaste and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, who pioneered this concept…and wound up having incredible growth rates. In turn, this caused the larger companies to turn their heads to see what they were doing right from a business perspective. As a result, it looks like it is the new trend that is emerging, and the corporate giants…many of whom have more capital than some entire countries- are the ones with the dollars and cents to really help in making a big difference.”

For more on CSR this noradawn suggests this good article on CSR.

Thanks noradawn for sharing this!

Discovery: How Folic Acid is Absorbed

Scientists have discovered how the vitamin folate is absorbed in the intestinal tract.  The discovery may lead to being able to test infants that cannot absorb this important nutrient.folic acid_1.jpg

Folate, also known as folic acid or vitamin B9, is important for growth and gene expression in the fetus.  Babies who are deficient in it, or cannot absorb it, may have mental retardation, seizures, severe infections, or anemia.

Until now, scientists were not sure what mechanism the body used to absorb folate.  This vitamin is water soluble, therefore not easily penetrating fatty cell membranes.  Recent research at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center in New York concludes that a membrane protein called PCFT/HCP1 transports folate into intestinal cells.

This discovery may help cure hereditary folate malabsorption in babies.

Psiphon Fights Censorship

Earlier this year we covered that Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto was creating some software called Psiphon that lets people bypass firewalls. Psiphone is designed to let people access sites that are blocked for censorship reasons like in China where there is a lot of online censorship.

“psiphon is a censorship circumvention solution that allows users to access blocked sites in countries where the Internet is censored. psiphon turns a regular home computer into a personal, encrypted server capable of retrieving and displaying web pages anywhere.”

Primer on Consumption

This book should be on every environmentalists Christmas list…..although it might change your views on this jolly time of year. To every person who spends more time shopping this season than spending time with their family, I say the booklet Consume This – Buying That Matters is for them. The Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2), through the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, has developed this booklet to teach youth on the topic of sustainable consumption. The 40-page booklets teaches youth to understand that where, how, when and what the consume has an impact on the environment, empowering youth to make environmentally friendly choices. The book outlines simple ways to reduce personal environmental impacts and participate in sustainable comsumption activities.

Visit the C2P2 website to download a FREE electronic version. Although I strongly suggest memorizing the electronic copy, full colour printed copies can be ordered using the online order form on the website or by calling 1-800-667-9790, or e-mail info@c2p2online.com. The booklet is printed by an EcoLogo Certified printer on 50% post consumer paper with vegetable based inks

Safe Toys

Chris Coleman has written in to tell us about toys, and what’s more fun than toys? Nothing.

From Chris:

“Ableplay.org is a toy rating system and Website that provides comprehensive information on toys for children with disabilities so parents, special educators, therapist and others can make the best choices for the children in their lives with disabilities.

Developed by the National Lekotek Center, the leading nonprofit authority on play for children with disabilities, AblePlay will provide parents, and the professionals who work with them, access to the most useful, product-specific information about the top play and learning products and toys for children with disabilities. ”

Conversely, BoingBoing linked to a list of the most dangerous toys.