Dear Supporter,

As a signer of the first Fukushima food safety petition, you understand better than most that we're in it for the long run. Ever since Japan won the bid to host the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics (and then moved the opening torch ceremony mere kilometers from the nuclear disaster site's bagged radioactive waste) PR departments have been working overtime to out do themselves.

Case in point: last month, ritzy department store Harrods in London began selling Fukushima peaches in a gift box of three for $100. Not just any peaches, but peaches grown in regional soil of the worst nuclear and industrial accident in history. Next up, scallops and more from the Fukushima region are being featured at food fairs in the U.S. 

Harrods noted in its statement to CBS News that there are "no restrictions for the U.K. in place on the import of food produced in Fukushima," adding that the store works "closely with our suppliers to ensure our high standards of food safety are met." The EU's Derived Intervention Level (DIL) for Cesium is 1,250 Bq/kg. Second only is the U.S. which is 1,200 Bq/kg. While literally untrue, Harrod's statement underscores that the outrageously high 1250 DIL for cesium essentially creates a system where next to no food safety restrictions are in place. Same as the U.S. at 1200 Bq/kg. It's as though these countries have set limits so high as to do whatever they want and very possibly won't need to set new levels when the next nuclear disaster happens. 

Trust me, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Now more than ever, we consumers need to be mindful of scams in order to protect our health. Keep in mind that according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) it takes BlueFin tuna a mere 55 days to travel from waters off the coast from Northern Japan to California. Tuna can live 40 years or longer. Until we have more transparent monitoring and testing in place, many people are choosing to skip tuna, sushi and sashimi altogether. Pregnant mothers, women, and children are far more vulnerable to man-made radiation in food than men, although it affects us all. Please choose food wisely!

Sharing information on this issue is more important than ever, because clearly Fukushima Daiichi is not going away. Recently FFAN was invited to table at Bonnie Raitt's Fox Theater show in Oakland, CA.  Bonnie, Jackson Browne, and Graham Nash have long been stellar advocates for safe energy. Their MUSE concerts (Musicians United for Safe Energy) are legendary. FFAN was happy to be at the Fox Theater and Bonnie's fans had plenty of questions on this issue. 

If you want to host an info table at an upcoming event in your community, please contact FFAN0311@gmail.com. You'll be sent a toolkit with printable, actionable resources, QR codes, and more. 

Fukushima is far closer (for far longer) than most people think, but with your help we'll get the word out. 

Thanks for reading, follow FFAN on social media (see below)

Take care,

Kim 

Kimberly Roberson, Project Director,

Website Fukushima Fallout Awareness Network 

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