Elle MacPherson's Personal Environmental Victory

Today the US Senate voted to keep in place the EPA's new Mercury and Air Toxic Standards, and supermodel Elle Macpherson helped play a part in the victory for American families, writing an eye-opening editorial piece to CNN to help bring awareness to the issue.

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The landmark protection standards set under the Obama administration were in jeopardy of being overturned in congress, prompting the Aussie beauty/environmental activist mom to take action.

Elle wrote in part, "Although I do my best to be sure my two sons grow up healthy, strong, independent and responsible, I cannot control what is in the air they breathe. Right now, millions of kids across this country breathe in pollution pumped into the air by coal-fired power plants. This can impair a child's development and cause asthma attacks, the No. 1 reason kids miss school. These plants are also the largest source of mercury, a potent brain poison that is linked to severe learning disabilities, developmental problems, and lower IQs."

The clean energy advocate and Sierra Club activist pointed out that mercury from coal-fired power plants rains down into our rivers, streams and oceans, where it can contaminate the fish we eat: "Because fish is a dietary staple for my family, this is a huge personal concern, but every family deserves the right to eat safe, healthy fish without worrying about toxic mercury."

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The EPA's new Mercury and Air Toxic Standards will also limit the amount of arsenic, chronium and other cancer-causing chemicals polluting our air and water. Elle concluded her plea with some clean energy solutions and the declaration, "Congress has the opportunity to be a part of the solution. It can protect our children's health and our air and water. There's no more important job than that."

For more info check out www.beyondcoal.org or www.sierraclub.org.