Having a first child is, for many, the first radical act that inspires a lifelong concern for the environment. Parents are naturally inclined towards wanting a safer, cleaner world for their children, wanting them to enjoy natural beauty as they perhaps did, wanting to protect them from unnecessary harm....
This natural instinct lies at the heart of Healthy Child, Healthy World, a national organization dedicated to protecting children from harmful environmental exposure. Formerly the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC), Healthy Child, Healthy World continues leading the national effort to educate and engage parents, and to shape policies relating to children’s health and environmental risk.
Healthy Child celebrated a re-launch party Thursday afternoon, introducing media and green friends to the organization’s new name at the uber sustainable, styley LivingHomes in Santa Monica. The event showcased a number of eco-friendly household products – paints, cleaners, biodegradable diapers, organic food – and highlighted Healthy Child’s online programs HealtheHouse and 5 easy steps.
While soaking in the inspiring LEED platinum surroundings, I spotted several celebrity supporters – Laura Dern, Jenna Elfman, and Jessica Capshaw, met Executive Director Christopher Gavigan, and learned a bit more about Healthy Child’s history.
Founders Nancy and Jim Chuda, after the devastating loss of their young daughter Colette to cancer caused by environmental conditions, committed their lives to helping others prevent the senseless tragedy they experienced. They started a fund to support research identifying causes of childhood cancer, formed a 501c3 organization, and began bringing national attention to the issue.
Sixteen years and many successes later, Healthy Child works with millions of parents around the nation, all joined by a shared desire to ensure a clean, safe environment for the next generation. As Green Consultant Rebecca Foster shared with me, clearly passionate about her work with the organization, “ensuring a healthy household for our children is an issue that transcends partisan politics. It’s simply and unarguably the right thing to do.”
To learn more, visit Healthy Child, Healthy World.
[Top image of Rebecca Foster, green consultant, and Christopher Gavigan, executive director of Healthy Child, Healthy World.]
