A CALL TO ACTION: Nuclear disasters and lessons learned. Facts are facts. There have been at least three major nuclear power disasters to date: Three Mile Island in 1979, Chernobyl in 1986, and Fukushima Daiichi’s unprecedented three nuclear meltdowns in 2011, the worst in history. There are also many smaller nuclear accidents and near misses every year. Do we wait for another life threatening catastrophic event, or do we act now? With many aging nuclear reactors approaching re-licensure and a shaky nuclear industry engaged in a self proclaimed “Nu Clear Renaissance” (regardless of the ongoing catastrophe at Fukushima) the time to act is indeed now or never. Ms. Roberson explains in “Silence Deafening” that it is easier than many people think to create positive change in these troubling times. The US government and media have remained mostly silent on Fukushima Daiichi's impact regardless of scientists and former nuclear industry executives who have believed for many years that there are no safe levels whatsoever of radioactivity from nuclear fallout. In the spring of 2011 hardly anyone in the mainstream media was talking about it and the silence was indeed overwhelming to those who understood the real dangers of Fukushima. "Silence Deafening..." is the personal account of an environmentalist who then became a nutritionist and mother later in life. Ms Roberson writes, “I always thought it was an unusual leap from radioactive waste campaigner to nutrition and motherhood, but on March 11, 2011 those three worlds merged suddenly in a shocking way. What those combined experiences bring became startling clear: radioactive fallout from nuclear power and food do not mix, and children are especially at risk.” She also observes, “Nuclear fallout is a harmful and mysterious tragedy that we can't see, taste, hear, smell or feel. Rather than recoil in fear from Fukushima Daiichi, it really serves to empower further action.” Ms. Roberson explains in lay terms how the nuclear industry was took form, and the urgent need to transition to safer, sustainable, renewable forms of energy before another nuclear disaster happens. It is an inspiring story of taking notice and taking action. She notes the writings of Sandra Steingraber and the late Rachel Carson, as well as experiences gleaned from environmentalists, humanitarians, and natural health practitioners she worked with before and as founder of the Fukushima Fallout Awareness Network. The Executive Director of Food and Water Watch (the food safety watchdog which grew from Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen) is one of many who have offered praises for “Silence Deafening..”. “We all owe Kimberly Roberson a debt of gratitude for bringing to light the health and safety issues related to the dangerous radiation releases from Fukushima. She underscored the need for food monitoring of radiation and transparency of findings in the U.S. food supply, even if U.S. elected officials and the media choose to ignore the ongoing problem. This is a ‘must read’ for anyone concerned about…future generations.” A younger generation of parents, caregivers and educators can learn from their experiences and then realize their own immense power in the age of the Internet. The ultimate message of “Silence Deafening…” is one of responsibility, empowerment, and the urgent need to collectively reduce consumption while we transition en masse to a safe energy future for this and future generations.
Now Let a Mother/Nutritionist/Activist Show How You can Protect Your Family’s Health and Genetic Future from Ongoing Environmental Exposure to Nuclear Radiation
DID YOU KNOW:
When the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan released radiation into the air and water, it contaminated the air, water and soil in the United States and elsewhere around the globe.
Exposure to low level radioactivity can cause cancer, heart disease, birth defects, miscarriages, asthma, and immune system disorders.
Pregnant mothers are more likely to miscarry or have a child with a birth defect if they’ve been exposed to nuclear radiation.
Young girls are more likely than boys to develop cancer from nuclear radiation.
According to the Federally funded National Academies BEIR VII report, there is no safe level of radiation exposure; all contact with radionuclides raises health risks that increase as we age.
The dangers of Fukushima continue to this day, as the nuclear reactors are still leaking radiation into the air and the Pacific Ocean.
Japan is burning tsunami and earthquake wreckage from Japan, releasing more industrial toxins and radiation into the air, the ocean and the jet stream, where it circles the earth and disperses until it is picked up by the food chain.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency has actually cut back in testing for radiation in the food and water since Fukushima.
If these thoughts of nuclear contamination concern you, you are not alone. In the wake of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima and the growing awareness of the dangers of radiation leaks from 104 nuclear reactors in our own backyards, concerned parents, grandparents and those who hope to give birth to a healthy child find themselves wanting to know how to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Does this sound like you? If so… keep reading, because the help you need is just a click away.
SO HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW:
What foods to eat and foods to avoid so you reduce the radiation load on your body.
Which supplements offer the best protection from the effects of radiation so your body does not absorb it in the first place.
How the United States food supply is being jeopardized by radiation exposure from Fukushima, nuclear reactors and nuclear manufacturing sites… and what you can do to limit its impact on you and your family.
A consistent, reliable source for information that you can use immediately to help you preserve the health and genetic future of your loved ones.
If you’re interested in having information that can make you and your family safer from the ongoing, ever-increasing onslaught of nuclear radiation…
“Governments underestimate the effect of official silence on anxious mothers! Kimberly is not alone, even though she is more knowledgeable than many others, in becoming increasingly concerned about the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan and its effect on California milk, water, spinach, mushrooms and other foods. Platitudes about “permissible doses” cannot take away parental responsibility and non-monitoring of fallout by the government does not make the problem go away! Thank God for mothers like Kimberly! I encourage everyone to read this small book with reliable information written in ordinary lay language. You will learn how passive most Americans were during this major disaster. You will learn how negligent were the government agencies we depend on for meaningful and timely warnings and advice for self–protection and caring for one’s family!”
Rosalie Bertell, PhD, GNSH, Founder of the International Institute of Concern for Public Health (IICPH) and former consultant to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Environment Protection Agency, and Health Canada.
“Kimberly Roberson’s wonderful new book is engaging, exciting and eloquent. No one can speak better to the radioactive crisis threatening our Mother Earth than a committed activist mother. This is… a graceful addition to the litany of going green.”
Harvey Wasserman, Author of ‘Solartopia: Our Green-Powered Earth AD 2030′
“(SILENCE DEAFENING: Fukushima Fallout… A Mother’s Response is) an insightful and well-written account of the global consequences we all face from the ongoing disaster at Fukushima, this story is an inspiring example of the power of taking action and getting involved.”
Bill Richardson, Deputy Executive Director, Greenpeace USA
SILENCE DEAFENING: Fukushima Fallout… A Mother’s Response A book about Fukushima, Radiation in the Food Chain, and What You Can Do to Keep you and Your Loved Ones Safe
Dear Concerned Parents, Grandparents and Women who Wish to Birth a Healthy Baby:
My name is Kimberly Roberson, and you may wonder why I chose to write a book on the ongoing Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan and how it impacts our health and wellbeing. To be honest, I didn’t plan on doing any of this. But in an unexpected way, my background perfectly prepared me to write this book. I am:
a Certified Diet Counselor and Nutrition Educator who has worked in the field for over ten years
a former board member of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.
an experienced activist on anti-nuclear and other social justice campaigns, having worked at Greenpeace, Sane/Freeze and CALPIRG.
someone who has lobbied for environmental and natural health issues on the state and federal level, as well as at the Food and Drug Administration.
founder of the Fukushima Fallout Network, a coalition of groups and concerned citizens who share information, resources and actions in response to the health threat of the ongoing radioactive fallout of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
… and most importantly, the mother of a small child.
I have always considered my life to have taken a pretty unusual leap from radioactive waste to nutrition and then to motherhood, but those worlds merged suddenly on March 11, 2011, when in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the Fukushima nuclear disaster began. One thing my experience brought me to immediately understand: radioactive fallout from nuclear power and food do not mix, and children [AND PREGNANT MOTHERS] are especially at risk. I tracked the ongoing spread of radiation – as well as the disastrous mistakes being made in Japan and our own country when it came to protecting the population – and realized that knowing what I knew, and then seeing those facts be so thoroughly disregarded by the media and elected officials, I had to take action.
As a stay-at-home mom, my action options were limited. If you have small children, I know you understand. Still, I created the Fukushima Fallout Food Safety Petition, rallying citizens just like you to ask President Obama and the Congress to have the EPA monitor and inspect food, water, and especially milk for safety, be they imported from Japan or produced within our own borders. That petition is still live and I invite you to sign it by going here.
BUT I STILL FELT THE NEED TO DO MORE. That’s why I wrote SILENCE DEAFENING: Fukushima Fallout… a Mother’s Response. I wanted to provide not just an empathetic response to the disaster in Japan, but a call to action for each of us to wake up to the truth about what is happening in our world and committing to doing our part to support the solution.
We never know how good we have it… until we don’t. Right now, we are in the midst of an ongoing and seemingly incomprehensible radiation crisis. Despite the lack of information in mainstream media, the problem is far from over and will have serious health effects for many innocent people, with young children, pregnant women and the elderly being particularly vulnerable. This is an ongoing global crisis that will affect many nations, including the United States. You need to take steps now to get informed, stay informed, and take the necessary actions to protect your life, your health, your family and your genetic future.
In SILENCE DEAFENING, you will learn:
How to determine how safe your kitchen is from radiation… and steps you can take to make it safer.
The truth about what happened at Fukushima… and why it remains a threat to the health and safety of you and your loved ones.
How the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration continue to fail to protect the food chain post-Fukushima… and easy ways you can take action to force them to do their jobs.
The history of nuclear as a failed energy technology… and how each of us can help make a difference in changing our energy future.
How to decode the different kinds of radiation and their impact on health… and examples of steps I have taken so you can learn how to protect yourself and your family from their effects.
What foods to choose and how to treat your water for the greatest protection… and ways to fight for proper standards and honest labeling.
SILENCE DEAFENING: Fukushima Fallout… A Mother’s Response A book about Fukushima, Radiation in the Food Chain, and What You Can Do to Keep you and Your Loved Ones Safe
“This (SILENCE DEAFENING) is a ‘must read’ for anyone concerned about the impact of radiation on future generations. We all owe Kimberly Roberson a debt of gratitude for bringing to light the health and safety issues related to the dangerous radiation releases from Fukushima. She underscored the need for food monitoring of radiation and transparency in findings in the U.S. food supply even if U.S. elected officials and the media choose to ignore the ongoing problem.” – Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food and Water Watch.
“SILENCE DEAFENING is a must read! Ms. Roberson has identified the radioactive elephant in the global room that is ruining our health and REALLY threatens our collective survival… I appreciate her facts, feelings, food sensibility and leadership on how to advocate for an end to nuclear power. Message: don’t be scared, be prepared.” – Ed Bauman, PhD, Founder and President, Bauman College Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts.
** SPECIAL GIFT: For a limited time, I am offering you the first two chapters of my book. It is my gift to help you understand what it is we face… and how, as a mother, as a concerned parent, it’s in all our best interests to know the facts and decide which actions to take. To receive these chapters, simply fill out the form below, click the button, and a link will be automatically sent to your email address:
Yes, I want to receive for free the first two chapters of Kimberly Roberson’s book,
Know that I dislike spam as much as you do. I respect your privacy and will never share your email address with anyone.
I want you to be absolutely satisfied with this book. If, after you receive it, for any reason you find it does not deliver on what I have promised, return it and I will be happy to refund your money.
As a mother, I urge you to learn the facts, learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones, and then take action. With the help of SILENCE DEAFENING: Fukushima Fallout… A Mother’s Response, you’ll have the power to do all of that, and more.
Silence Deafening – A mother’s perspective on the Fukushima nuclear disaster
Saturday, August 25 2012 03:27 Inside INFORMedia - Nuclear
Hear this Article Audio or download as mp3
By Karl Grossman
Amid the cover-up of the Fukushima nuclear power disaster, the title of Kimberly Roberson’s book rings so unfortunately true: Silence Deafening, Fukushima Fallout…A Mother’s Response.
It’s relatively brief at 69 pages but gets to the heart of the catastrophe: the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant complex in 2010, the months and months of discharges of radioactivity—and the silence of media and public officials.
“The silence after the earthquake, nuclear meltdowns and tsunamis AF [After Fukushima] was truly deafening and unlike anything I had experienced before. Surreal ‘Twilight Zone’ comparisons were hard to avoid,” she writes. “Knowing what I knew, and then seeing those facts to be so thoroughly disregarded by the media and elected officials has begun to take on a sort of nightmare quality.”
“It may take decades for the true magnitude of Fukushima Daiichi to be comprehended, just as the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown of 1986 are still being realized,” she continues. “This is the story of my attempt to learn the truth, and then to do something about it in my own small way.”
The book, published by VisionTalk, is very personal and written from a mother’s perspective. Roberson is also well-educated about the horrors of nuclear technology.
She relates how, working for Greenpeace in Washington, D.C. in 1986, she opened a “letter from the farmer near the Chernobyl nuclear disaster who had mailed us pictures of grossly deformed farm animals. Those images would later appear in magazines like Time and Newsweek and helped to open the world’s eyes to the largest nuclear disaster to date.”
She writes about a main consequence of pollution from radioactivity and other sources—cancer—and how “it’s reached epidemic proportions.”
As to the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster, she tells of the English version of the landmark book, Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment, published by the New York Academy of Sciences 25 years after the accident—with the horrible consequences manifest. The book, written by a team of European scientists led by Dr. Alexey Yablokov of Russia, concludes that based on available medical data, nearly one million people around the world died as a result of fall-out from Chernobyl.
“At Chernobyl,” Roberson writes, “there was one reactor affected” while “at Fukushima there are four, and workers are still struggling to contain radiation there as of this writing nearly one year after the disaster began March 11.”
The book is studded with breaks for quotes such as that from Gandhi: “First they laugh at you, then they ignore you, then they fight you, then you win.” Winning over nuclear power is still far off, however. Roberson writes how in Spring 2011, “Apart from the occasional Internet bombshell…the deafening media silence around Fukushima raged on.”
She, however, has been taking action—which she writes about. There is a petition campaign and, with the findings of radioactivity in her home state of Calilfornia, the creation of the Fukushima Fallout Awareness Network.
“While young children, the elderly and immune deficient are at particular risk, the Fukushima Daiichi will affect us all globally for generations to come just as at Chernobyl,” Roberson writes. “One thing we do know is that we are at a crossroads with nuclear power.”
Roberson’s book helps in choosing a direction: away from this lethal technology.
Please consider helping any way you can with this INDIEGOGO campaign. The goal is to raise money for promotion of this unique book.
Silence Deafening, Fukushima Fallout …A Mother’s Response is an engaging book that explores the nuclear industry’s impact on human health, the environment, and how citizens will change the world.
“Governments underestimate the effect of official silence on anxious mothers! Kimberly is not alone, even though she is more knowledgeable than many others, in becoming increasingly concerned about the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan and its effect on California milk, water, spinach, mushrooms and other foods. Platitudes about “permissible doses” cannot take away parental responsibility and non-monitoring of fallout by the government does not make the problem go away! Thank God for mothers like Kimberly! I encourage everyone to read this small book with reliable information written in ordinary lay language. You will learn how passive most Americans were during this major disaster. You will learn how negligent were the government agencies we depend on for meaningful and timely warnings and advice for self–protection and caring for one’s family.” ~ Endorsement of “Silence Deafening…” Rosalie Bertell, PhD, GNSH, Founder of the International Institute of Concern for Public Health (IICPH) and former consultant to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Environment Protection Agency, and Health Canada; more endorsements at www.silencedeafening.com
July, 2012
Hello Everyone! I’ve been woefully remiss in keeping in touch with my family and friends not only due to the demands of motherhood, but the ongoing nuclear disaster in Japan and its affect on the United States. What a long strange year it’s been! Now I need to let you know about an online awareness and fundraising campaign on an issue that affects all of us and especially kids. My new book on food, human health, and the nuclear industry, “Silence Deafening, Fukushima Fallout…A Mother’s Response”, was published by Visiontalk with cover art by Gail Payne and has received excellent reviews from readers on Amazon. It is truly a labor of love and published digitally with money my own mother left when she passed away. It is now available on all digital platforms and in print edition on Amazon and Createspace. The silence referred to in the title is from media and government who are not addressing the issue of radiation in our food supply due to the triple nuclear meltdowns at Fukushima Daiichi. Just a few more paragraphs will take you directly to the linked campaign with a quick two minute video. Please read on.
The fundraiser and awareness campaign is being hosted by Indiegogo.com and is aimed at producing a print version of the book, placement in stores throughout the US, an educational outreach and advertising campaign, and seed money to research a companion book on radiation and health awareness. I’ve recruited some amazing women as team members for this project including an author (who evacuated Japan with her family shortly after 311) named Gwendolyn Womack, artist Rachel Gertrude Johnson, Natural Chef Jean Merrigan, musician Sandi Sellars and investigative journalist Karen Charman. All of these wonderful, compassionate women are gifted artists and activists in their own right who care deeply about children and our world. They have all been very supportive over the last year and I’m excited that they’ve agreed to help raise funds and awareness around this extremely important issue. All along the purpose of my book has been to serve as a platform for education on the radioactive fallout and food safety issue and with this wonderful team support the skies the limit.
It was heartening to learn that the Indiegogo campaign received approval for fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas, an organization funded in part by the National Endowment of the Arts. They support artistic projects and lend financial and legal advice throughout the fundraising process. A relatively small percentage of fundraisers on Indiegogo are approved by for sponsorship by Fractured Atlas. For contributors this means that all money donations will be tax deductible, and the gifts given as “perks” will be partially tax deductible. More good news is that Fractured Atlas decided to feature the fundraiser on the main page of their website! This was an unexpected, very cool surprise that will only further enhance the success of the project. With Fractured Atlas on our side, this campaign will definitely succeed. To go directly to the 2 minute video at Indiegogo please click here http://igg.me/p/84388?a=514338
One of the most gratifying aspects of this project is that it’s becoming increasingly clear that just reading and sharing this email, Facebook Events Invite, and Indigogo campaign links will bring much needed awareness on the issue of Fukushima’s impact on our food supply. This good type of exposure will grow exponentially when you forward the messages to your networks too (hey we all gotta eat, so we hope to enlist not only your financial support, but your help in spreading the news). We are also asking that people donate $5 or more if possible and ask others to do the same. We have a unique window in time to stop the so-called “Nuclear Renaissance”. Strontium-90 in milk led to stopping the US above ground bomb blasts of the 50’s and 60’s, so there is a strong possibility history will repeat itself now.
What follows is the back-story, please take a few minutes to read on if you don’t already know it and thanks for your time. Some of you may not have the funds or inclination to become involved but you may know someone who does and will. Thanks in advance for reading!
March 11, 2011
Life took a shocking and unexpected turn March 11, 2011. The Great Japan Earthquake and ensuing tsunamis caught the world’s attention, however Fukushima Daiichi’s unprecedented three nuclear meltdowns went largely ignored in the media and still do to this day. The impact on our food supply is troubling and demands attention. The west coast of the US is directly in the path of the powerful jet stream, as you know. University of California Berkeley School of Nuclear Engineers (UCBSNE) has been reporting findings of cesium 137 and more radioisotopes known to cause cancer, heart disease and other illnesses in California topsoil, water, milk and produce sampled from the Bay Area since late March of 2011. Recently a pair of researchers at Cal State Long Beach found radiation in kelp sampled off the coast and they are currently seeking funding of their own to detect more types of longer-lived radioactive isotopes. Headlines of their findings read “Radiation from Fukushima Now in the US Food Chain”. And just a few weeks ago news broke of radioactive cesium in Bluefin tuna caught off the coast of California. What mainstream media wasn’t mentioned about this story is that the tuna tested was actually caught in August of 2011.
Our Silent Spring
The media has been ignoring the issue with only rare exception. Recently Forbes magazine ran an online story written by Jeff McMahon, one of the few reporters writing on Fukushima’s impact on health. He grappled with reasons why colleagues in his profession are refusing to cover such an important story, surmising that radiation perceived as a complex issue that intimidates reporters. His message points directly to the need for transparency and for projects such as “Silence Deafening…”
To put matters into clear perspective, California produces over 450 varieties of produce, dairy and wine and is the number one producer of dairy in the US, the fifth largest producer of food in the world. Children in our families and communities rely on us to protect them, yet our government is not addressing mounting concerns regarding food safety. Consequently we are not doing enough to protect those we love. The silence is indeed deafening. The fact that I have a history working on radiation issues at Greenpeace and then in the nutrition field meant that Fukushima allowed no room for denial or excuses.
The Wake Up Call
On April 1, 2011, I was sitting at home, feeling shocked and isolated. It appeared that no one was talking about Fukushima. It now seems like a lifetime ago: I went online and created a petition calling for food monitoring due to Fukushima’s ongoing radioactive fallout. It was luck to find that Food and Water Watch (the food safety arm of Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen) had started a letter writing campaign on the issue, so I used some of their language to write a food safety petition. The petition eventually led to the formation of Fukushima Fallout Awareness Network (FFAN), a group of dedicated, talented, and passionate individuals who have spent decades working to make the world a safer place. FFAN includes Mary Beth Brangan, Rachel Johnson and Jim Heddle of Ecological Options Network; Diane D’Arrigo of Nuclear Information and Resource Service; Cindy Folkers of Beyond Nuclear; Mali Lightfoot who is Executive Director of the Helen Caldicott Foundation and Nuclear Free Planet; Jim Turner who is Chairman of Citizens for Health; concerned aunts, uncles, grandparents and parents.
FFAN has met five times with Senator Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein’s staff here in San Francisco and also in Washington, DC demanding congressional hearings on the food issue. Once we met with Senator Feinstein and told her of our findings, which we delivered at her request in print to her personal fax number. She has not responded, but we are not giving up. Some of us in FFAN met two weeks ago in Washington, DC with key legislators as part of Sierra Club Lobby Day. A packet of information was organized at the request of Nuclear Information and Resource Service for distribution at a national Sierra Club conference that coincided with their lobby day and was given to 85 safe energy lobbyists. Book promo cards and a media release about “Silence Deafening…” were placed in each of the 85 lobby packets. It is amazing to see how much more attention an issue attracts when you write a book about it! Considering how mighty the nuclear lobby has been for so many years, it was extremely gratifying that congress members heard our concerns and some are now aware of the book and it’s very important message.
The world needs to know much more about the situation in Japan and its vast impact for the sake of future generations. The petition mentioned previously is linked below, please take a moment to read it over, sign and share. One person commented online the other day, “Where are the leaders on this issue!!??” Well, as it turns out, on this one “WE are the leaders”. And our time is now. We are all inundated with online issues and those of our own. Please find a few more minutes to help this important project.
Thanks for reading, you will find the campaign here so please remember to cut and paste it to share on email, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and websites. Just the action of clicking on the link under the video on the Indiegogo page will help to increase our visibility on the website. Whenever we share the link under the video, it helps increase our presence online. While the issue may be inconvenient and unpleasant, taking action is just the opposite: it’s empowering and feels pretty good, actually!
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