Young People
Welcome to the young person’s page of eco! It’s exactly as the title expresses, a page for young people, written by young people, about young people’s issues. If you have read this page, and feel you would like to contribute to what’s being said, or suggest an issue for next month then please feel free to email us with your suggestions to webmaster@ecozine.co.uk
We would love to hear from you all, and please feel free to disagree to what’s been said. That is what this page is all about. This month ’s articles are as follows: Horse Isle, Build a Bear, School Uniform; The Hoodie Ban; Club Penguin, why MSN is such a good service to join and why stereotyping is really getting on some young people’s nerves.
For children aged 7-11 visit Eco Kids!
No Go Hamsters
9th December 2009
The fastest selling toy of Christmas 2009 may have run out of steam with the revelation that the cute Go Go Hamsters, made in China, have potentially harmful levels of the chemical antimony in their fur.
The "Mr Squiggle Go Go Hamster" contains potentially dangerous levels of a toxic chemical which has been linked to cancer, according to a US safety watchdog.
GoodGuide, a consumer testing research lab in San Francisco, claims to have detected high levels of antimony on Mr Squiggle's nose and hair, a substance which "may be linked to cancer, lung and heart problems".
Officials from the US Environmental Protection Agency said that short-term exposure to the metal-like substance could cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The government watchdog says the chemical is thought to be a potential human carcinogen.
The research was conducted on toys sold in the US, under the brand Zhu Zhu pets, but these are identical to the £9.99 hamsters available in Britain.
The toy's maker has insisted its product is "absolutely safe" and has passed the most "rigorous testing" for health and safety in the toy industry.
Russ Hornsby, chief executive of the firm Cepia, said in a statement: "We want to assure everyone already enjoying Mr Squiggles or other Zhu Zhu Pets, and those planning to purchase Mr Squiggles or another Zhu Zhu Pet this holiday season, that the toy is 100% safe and in compliance with all US and European toy safety standards.
"I have been in the toy industry for more than 35 years, and being a ather of children myself I would never allow any substandard or unsafe product to hit the shelves.
"That's why we always test to not only meet but also exceed safety standards."
Jon Diver, managing director for Character Options, the toy's UK importer, said: "[We are] confident that Mr Squiggles and all the toys in the Go Go Pets collection are completely safe.
"The pets are tested in independent accredited laboratories during the manufacture and again before shipment through our own internal diligence programme. Their safety has always been ratified."
Dara O'Rourke, a professor of environmental science at the University of California and head of GoodGuide, said multiple tests carried out on three of the toys revealed potential health risks.
The chemical in question, antimony, was measured at 93 parts per million in the "fur" and at 106 parts per million in the nose of the Mr Squiggle hamsters, he said.
Both readings exceed the allowable level of 60 parts per million under US regulations, he said.
But British distributors and US manufacturers both rejected allegations that the popular toy, which is being rationed by retailers, could be dangerous to children.
(Source: The Guardian)
What the young people say about this:
"I'm not that bothered really, people are always over-reacting to stuff like this!I have one that isn't Mr.Squiggle, I love it!" Maria Eliss, age 7
"I suppose we have to be kind of careful about what's in our toys but...this is just being a bit stupid !" Jimmy Elliots, age 6.
"I don't think mum and dad would've bought it for me if they'd known. I'm a bit scared about playing with my go go pet now!" Sophia Collins age 8.
Is this just over-reacting or is this quite worrying news?
What do you think?
Horse Isle
If you love horses, you will love this site. There are a range of features including:
Build a Bear Ville
Build a Bear Ville is a whole new virtual world! You may think that it sounds like any other virtual world, but actually most people will find it to be an amazing world dedicated to bears and friendship! Once you have registered a user name, you will get your own virtual bear which comes with a cub condo (house) for you to customize!
You can buy clothes and furniture with your bear bills which you can earn by playing awesome games! To go to other places either click on the map, step on a nearby paw print or an arrow!
Interested? Anyone can go on the site and get an account, but to get a cub condo (house) and your own virtual bear you will need a “welcome pass.”
If you buy a bear from “Build a Bear Workshop,” you will be given a welcome pass to the site, or if you have bought a bear there in the past you can go back and request a welcome pass!
So see you there!
http://www.buildabearville.com/#
Creating clone clusters:
the uniform dilemma
Is school uniform good or bad? Is it just creating a nation of clones?
The hoodie ban
Lot's of young people think the hoodie ban is unfair. What do you think? See the views of our columnist.
Club Penguin
Read all about Club Penguin, a great games site for children aged 7-13.
MSN
Why MSN is such a good service to join
MSN is a service that many young people use. It is easy, free and helps you to keep in touch with friends, particularly those who live far away from you. Many young people spend a fair amount of time on it, whether they are emailing friends, instant messaging, using the microphone facility or even trying out web cam. It’s a service that most of us really enjoy to use.
Full feature on MSN
Stereo-typing
Why Stereotyping is really getting on some young people’s nerves
Stereotyping is dividing people into groups and arbitrarily making assumptions based on prejudices. For young people stereotyping is unfortunately a part of their everyday life, particularly at school years 8, 9, 10 and 11. No-one is classed as being normal, because after all, what is normal? Whether they’re a goth, emo, chav, gamer, geek, mosher, trendie, hippie or any other group, every person is targeted because of what they’re like. The Goths hate the chavs, the gamers hate the trendies, the hippies hate the emos- you get the picture. How can we live in this world if all people do is mock people because of what they wear, what they do in their spare time, what “group” they belong to?
Full feature on stereo-typing
Can't cook, will cook
Education watchdogs have said that pupils in England must spend less time learning about the theory of cooking - and more time making dishes.
A report found that kids were not learning how to cook basic meals.
Ofsted also found that parents often didn't back school's efforts to encourage healthy eating.
And parents were often not able to provide kids with basic ingredients for lessons because they used ready meals at home rather than cooking.
The report quoted a girl in Year 9 (aged 13 or 14) who said her dad would say the healthy stir-fry she had made was "rubbish" that should be "given to the dog".
Ofsted's Chief inspector of schools Maurice Smith said:
"It is important that parents reinforce the efforts made by teachers and lunch-time staff and ensure their children eat healthily."
The report also surveyed school meals and found that more pupils had packed lunches, with 50% of primary pupils and 47% in secondaries bringing sandwiches to school.
But Ofsted said that meals were improving, mainly in primary schools.
ASBO for Amarillo fan!
A woman who annoyed her neighbours by constantly playing the hit single Amarillo has been given a two-year anti-social behavioural order (Asbo). Teressa Webb's neighbours complained that she was playing the track too loud and one even moved house as a result.
Mrs Webb was forced to pay £300 in compensation and police took away her stereo on the grounds that she had caused harassment, alarm and distress.
The mother-of-three said she didn't realise the noise was a problem.
Special listening equipment was used to record sound levels near Teressa Webb's house and these recordings were played back to the court.
Magistrates were blasted with a rendition of (Is this the way to) Amarillo which was first a hit for Tony Christie and was re-released for Comic Relief with a video starring Bolton comedian Peter Kay.
Some of Mrs Webb's other favourite tracks were also heard in court.
After the case the council's senior environmental health officer, Alan Bratt said: "We will use all the powers created by the government to make sure people's lives are not unreasonably disturbed."
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