BACDS Spring Fling Dance Weekend March 19 - 21, 2010 |
|
|
A number of campers suffer from heightened sensitivity to solvents and petroleum products,
including perfume and fragrance. These chemicals can act not only as respiratory irritants, but also as cardiac
stimulants (skyrocketing blood pressure, palpitations) and neurotoxins (symptoms include tremors, mental confusion,
equilibrium loss, blurred vision).
Exposure to products containing even small amounts of the chemicals can cause these symptoms. Please understand that
this is a serious health concern - not simply a preference issue. Chemical sensitivity results from continued exposure
to solvents and products in doses thought to be safe: it could happen to any one of us.
Because the dining hall, dance hall, dorms and lodges at camp are enclosed spaces, even small amounts of fragrance or scented
or toxic products on a few people can add up quickly to intolerable amounts. Our fellow dancers with chemical
sensitivities can attend camp only if we all work together to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in the camp
environment. We will supply the bathrooms with fragrance-free soap, shampoo, conditioner, and hand lotion for your
convenience.
On the positive side, many dancers in the Bay Area have learned to love fragrance-free products - it's less like walking
through the "chemical aisle" at your local Safeway, and more like the pleasant, natural environment that Monte
Toyon exemplifies.
What you can do to help...
We ask that you please:
Please consider bringing other fragrance-free personal products to use at camp. This will really make a difference. They can easily be found at any natural food store or specialty stores like Trader Joe's, etc. Here's a short sampling: