Christie Brinkley

Model; supporter of the Global Security Institute and the
Tooth Fairy Project
Video: Christie discusses her causes
Mother of Alexa, 22, Jack Paris, 12, and Sailor, 9

"When I found out that my house on Long Island was in the crosshairs of several old, leaky nuclear reactors, my first instinct was to grab my kids, pack my bags, and go. But I discovered that, at the time, there were 103 other reactors across the U.S., so I felt it would be hard to go anywhere and not be affected. I love my community, so I decided to tell every mother I came across. Pretty soon, we had formed a local grassroots organization. Children are the first victims of radiation from nuclear-weapons tests and power facilities—they absorb the pollutants more easily than we do—and we need to advocate for them. Now I'm a supporter of the Tooth Fairy Project, which studies the health effects nuclear reactors have on nearby communities by examining children's baby teeth. And I'm on the board of the Global Security Institute, which works to abolish nuclear weapons through test-ban and nonproliferation treaties. I believe every mom can pick up the phone, call her congressman, and ask, 'What are you doing about these issues?' I want a safer, saner future for my kids."

About Global Security Institute &
The Tooth Fairy Project

"At the Global Security Institute, we believe there's no problem in the world that nuclear weapons can solve," says board member Christie Brinkley. The institute provides security analysis to members of Congress and advocates disarmament. The Tooth Fairy Project gathers baby teeth and measures them for strontium-90, a man-made isotope that is only found in children's teeth when they have been exposed to nuclear waste. "Strontium-90 can have devastating health consequences for kids," says Brinkley. "In high levels, it has been linked to a rare soft-tissue cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma."

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