1922 Clean Cups

I was reading a couple of articles the other day on the effects of our chemical laden environment on us and some interesting things came clear. One was that chemicals really can affect us deep. Like all the way down to our genes. And it doesn't have to totally alter our gene genes, just the way they turn off and on certain protein triggers. According to this theory, which they call epigenetics, the DDT our grandparents once used to virtually take showers in can cause asthma, allergies and autism in the current generation.
They're still making and using DDT in India. Killing malaria today seems more important than asthma in their grandchildren. Such are the choices we sometimes face. Perhaps we can help India by outsourcing some other pesticide to them.
Another chemical that's had a noticeable generational impact is lead. Seems "getting the lead out" is a good idea all around. Because by generational I mean this generation benefits from it's lack of use in everything from gasoline to toothpaste tubes. With a lower violent crime rate.
Violent crime rates began to soar in the 60's, then began a spectacular decline in the 90's which has continued ever since. And it's primarily due to adding and removing lead from gasoline. Seems inhaling microscopic lead vapors made us crazy as a mad hatter. Which, by the way, was a recognized occupational hazard of the hat making business even way back in the 1800s.
Hat makers would inhale lead vapors in the felting process and subsequently go bonkers. Perhaps Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter's Tea Party was an early environmental metaphor. Clean Cups and clean plates an allegory for cleaning up our act.
It helped lower violent crime, maybe it'll eventfully solve asthma, allergies and autism too.
America, ya gotta love it.