These bulletins are now archived and searchable on the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/bulletins.html If you would like to join the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) and the CHE-Washington regional group, please complete the application on the CHE website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/application Joining CHE means receiving up to four email messages a month from the CHE National listserv. CHE costs nothing to join and the benefit is shared information and opportunities for further engagement, if you choose. Be sure to mark that you want to join the Washington State Regional Group at the bottom of the application.
Wednesday January 23, 2008
7:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street)
Sponsor: The Seattle Biotech Legacy Foundation
Cosponsors: Antioch University Seattle and The Russell Family Foundation
Organizer: The Institute for Children's Environmental Health
What is ecological economics? Dr. Robert Costanza, an internationally renowned ecological economist, will present an overview. He will explain the key concepts of ecological economics -- notably, how ecosystems and their functions provide vital goods and services that directly benefit people, and how the valuation of ecosystem services in dollar terms gives critical economic justification for ecological sustainability. He will also discuss how the framework of ecological economics will promote and sustain human health and well-being. Dr. Costanza is Professor and Director of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont, a premier institution studying the relationships between human, ecological and economic systems. He is the cofounder and past president of the International Society for Ecological Economics; is past chief editor of the society's journal, Ecological Economics; and currently serves on editorial boards of various journals and steering committees of many organizations relating to sustainability.
This is the first of a four-lecture series. A $5 donation is appreciated for this special first lecture. $25 for advance registration (until February 1st) for the remaining 3-lecture series. $10 for each individual lecture for the remaining three lectures if paid in advance. Dates and topics of the remaining three lectures:
Details are on the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/lectures.html
1) The next CHE-WA quarterly meeting is scheduled for Wednesday March 5, 2008, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Antioch. The meeting will focus on children's environmental health, with special guest speakers Dr. Elaine Faustman and Dr. Steve Gilbert (and hopefully Dr. Margaret Shield will have interesting related news to report from Olympia as well!).
Thursday January 17, 2008
10:00 a.m. Pacific time / 1:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment
This call will be a discussion of the findings of the recently released 2007 edition of the Environmental and Occupational Causes of Cancer report, which was commissioned by CHE Cancer. (Read the report at http://www.healthandenvironment.org/wg_cancer_news/2633) The report shows mounting evidence that unintentional exposures to toxins in our workplaces and environments contribute to the nearly 1.5 million new cases of cancer in the U.S. every year. Dick Clapp, DSc, MPH and Molly Jacobs, MPH, will present. The call will be moderated by Michael Lerner, and we will hear comments from Steve Wing, PhD.
Price: free
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/articles/partnership_calls/2891
Thursday January 17, 2008
noon - 1:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
PSOB Room 1-D, 800 NE Oregon Street
Sponsor: Climate Change Committee of the Oregon Public Health Division
Bill Scott's presentation will focus on the 2007 Peak Oil Task Force report (online at http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=145732) and the implications for public health. Portland was the first US city to address the impact of peak oil on its citizens by forming the Peak Oil Task Force in 2006. The event is open to the public, and participants are invited to bring a lunch.
Price: free
Contact: Pete Farrelly, 503-358-5185
Thursday January 17, 2008
12:30 - 1:20 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington, Health Sciences Center, Room T-435
Sponsor: University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
L. J. Sally Liu, ScD, associate professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, will speak.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, fischs@u.washington.edu
Wednesday January 23, 2008
Olympia, Washington
Sponsor: Priorities for a Healthy Washington, People for Puget Sound
Last year's legislative session was a banner year, as we successfully passed all four priorities. Lobby Day is a great way to get involved, learn more and connect with hundreds of others.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.environmentalpriorities.org/
Thursday January 24, 2008
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Antioch University Seattle campus, 2326 Sixth Avenue, Room 100
Sponsor: Antioch University Seattle
Join the Center to find out how their programs can help you learn to lead positive change wherever you are -- in a community, business or nonprofit organization. Building on Antioch's tradition of working for social justice, the Center's programs bring students from different disciplines together to design and implement solutions to the problems facing society today. What unites all of the programs is a commitment to creating a better world for everyone. We'll be talking about masters' degrees in environment & community, whole systems design, strategic communication, organizational psychology and management. We'll also tell you about our graduate certificates. Faculty and students will describe the five interdisciplinary graduate programs and answer questions. Meet faculty, students and alumni for the program that interests you. Financial aid representatives also answer questions.
Price: free
Website: http://www.antiochsea.edu/futurestudents/visit.html
Contact: Wendy Olsen, Admissions Advisor, 206-268-4208 or wolsen@antiochseattle.edu
Thursday January 31, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington Husky Union Building
Sponsor: Focus the Nation and others listed on the website
Focus the Nation is a major educational initiative coordinating teams of faculty, students and staff at over a thousand colleges, universities and high schools in the United States, to collaboratively engage in a nationwide, interdisciplinary discussion centered around the theme of "Global Warming Solutions for America." The project culminates January 31, 2008, in the form of one-day, national symposia held simultaneously on campuses across the country. A number of local climate groups are collaborating to translate this event into meaningful political action, and we need volunteers to help. Please contact Phil Mitchell to sign up: phil@2people.org
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/uwfocus/
Contact: uwfocus@u.washington.edu
Thursday January 31, 2008
12:30 - 1:20 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington, Health Sciences Center, Room T-435
Sponsor: University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Harry Papadopoulos, assistant professor in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Nutrition at Central Washington University, will speak.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, fischs@u.washington.edu
Thursday and Friday, January 31 - February 1, 2008
8:30am - 5:00pm
Lacey, Washington
at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue SE
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
This introductory course provides participants with an understanding of the foundations of aquatic toxicology and how these concepts are applied to managing pollutants in aquatic environments. The course covers terminology, common test designs, and endpoints such as lethality, cancer, and endocrine disruption. Important legacy and emerging pollutants of concern such as heavy metals, organic pesticides, PAHs, PCBs, PBDEs, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products will also be presented. Continuing education units are available.
Price: $495 tuition, $395 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/etox-410_01-08_lacey.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Tuesday February 12, 2008
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
The quality of our indoor environments affects our well-being and productivity. In addition, the risk of disease is increased by factors such as indoor air pollutants, toxins and microbes on surfaces, and human contact. The seminar starts with a brief summary of our current understanding of ambient air pollution health concerns. Contrasting outdoor air to indoor air as a public good, it is seen that the policy debate about regulating indoor environments is still quite confused. A pollutant-specific framework rather than a comprehensive framework has characterized public and private responses to indoor air quality to date. Examples include formaldehyde, asbestos, radon and now molds. Contemporary topics of molds and synthetic organic compounds illustrate the continuing concerns about the health of indoor environments. John D. Spengler, PhD, professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation at Harvard University's School of Public Health, will speak.
Price: free
Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Contact: Laura Abulafia, Laura@aaidd.org
Thursday through Saturday, February 14 - 16, 2008
times and locations vary by day
Seattle, Washington
Sponsor: City of Seattle, Catholic Community Services, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, IWASIL Boys & Girls Club, World Kulturz, Community Coalition for Environmental Justice, Seattle University
With a theme of Indigenous Healing Solutions, this series features Elder Healers from various tribal traditions bringing teachings and ceremony together to create Mother Earth healing circles.
Price: free
Website: http://www.elcentrodelaraza.com/Northwest%20Climate%20Change%20Summit.pdf
Contact: Kim Camara, 206-683-9804 or worldkulturz@yahoo.com
Online Calendar. Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.chenw.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
EPA to promote healthy school environments. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, signed by President Bush on Wednesday December 19, 2007, includes Subtitle E -- Healthy High-Performance Schools. Subtitle E grants new authority for EPA, in consultation with other federal agencies, to conduct a range of activities to promote healthy school environments. Examples of the many provisions related to schools include authority for EPA (in consultation with the Department of Education) to provide grants to states to provide technical assistance for EPA school programs, specifically including IAQ Tools for Schools and HealthySEAT; and develop and implement state school environmental health programs that include standards for school building design, construction and renovation; and identification of school building environmental problems and solutions.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.00006: (select "Text of Legislation" > H.R.6.ENR > Subtitle E)
Action Alert for Priorities for a Healthy Washington. One of this year's four Priorities for a Healthy Washington, "Local Farms -- Healthy Kids" will help preserve farmland and improve the food our kids eat in school. It provides an opportunity to improve children's health and create thriving markets for our farmers by passing a new law that will get more locally grown fruits and vegetables into our schools. Those who would like to ask their legislators to cosponsor the Local Farms -- Healthy Kids bill today can take action on the Priorities for Healthy Washington website.
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5168/t/1611/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=64
Where cancer-causing agents lurk. What do cosmetics have in common with cell phones? They both worry a leading cancer scientist about their potential as health risks. Toronto Star, Ontario, 15 January 2008.
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/293879
Mediterranean diet 'cuts baby asthma risk.' Pregnant women who eat a Mediterranean diet may help protect their children from asthma and other allergies, researchers say. BBC, UK, 15 January 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7186728.stm
Home inspections: More intricate, more valuable. Home buyers are again asking about lead in the paint and water, asbestos, radon, indoor air quality, and mold -- questions many appeared to put aside when competition for houses was the stuff of bidding wars. Philadelphia Daily News, Pennsylvania, 13 January 2008.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/real_estate/20080113_Going_under_the_microscope.html
Clean air, water and soil a civil rights issue. Equality means all people have a right to clean air, water and soil, say civil rights activists working in the environmental justice movement. Kansas City Star, Missouri, 13 January 2008.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/440468.html
Toys panel to study jewelry. A panel of consumer and toy industry officials working to tighten controls over deadly magnets in toys agreed Friday to examine regulations for magnetic jewelry. Chicago Tribune, Illinois, 13 January 2008.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-magnets_satjan12,1,5846933.story
Excessive radon levels in home can be deadly. Like 70 percent of Fort Collins residents, Jennifer Kenline had unhealthy amounts of radon seeping into her home. Fort Collins Coloradoan, Colorado, 12 January 2008.
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080112/NEWS01/801120341/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02
Good housekeeping reduces dust mites. Dust mites are half the size of the period at the end of this sentence. They are translucent and sightless, and will eat a number of things. But their primary diet is us. The mites love to eat our shed skin. Biloxi Sun Herald, Mississippi, 11 January 2008.
http://www.sunherald.com/352/story/293494.html
Fighting pollution the poplar way: trees clean up Indiana site. Purdue University researchers are collaborating with Chrysler LLC in a project to use poplar trees to eliminate pollutants from a contaminated site in north-central Indiana. Terra Daily, 11 January 2008.
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Fighting_Pollution_The_Poplar_Way_Trees_To_Clean_Up_Indiana_Site_999.html
Genes -- not vaccines -- linked to autism. On Thursday, scientists reported that 1 percent of people with autism share a variation on chromosome 16. US News & World Report, 10 January 2008.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2008/01/09/on-parenting-genes--not-vaccines--linked-to-autism.html
Agency to scrutinize oft-criticized findings that chemical poses little risk. A controversial report on chemicals found in baby bottles and hundreds of other household products [bisphenol A] is under intense review by the National Toxicology Program after the agency was swamped with complaints that the authors were unduly influenced by the chemical industry. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 10 January 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=705538
Greener and cleaner: Restroom technology 2.0. Among microbes, the premier social networking site is the public restroom. With all of those levers, handles and buttons, it’s a global germ bazaar of touch points for cross-contamination. San Francisco Examiner, California, 10 January 2008.
http://www.examiner.com/a-1148792~Greener_and_cleaner__Restroom_technology_2_0.html
FDA cracks down on makers of 'bioidentical' hormones. The Food and Drug Administration ordered seven pharmacies Wednesday to stop making "false and misleading" claims about custom-made "bioidentical" hormones for menopausal symptoms. USA Today, 10 January 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-01-09-bioidentical-hormones-fda_N.htm
Workplace toxins report released -- cancer-causing agents scrutinized. Among the findings were determinations that at least one chemical not currently regulated for workplace exposure causes cancer in most people who come into contact with it. Sacramento Capitol Weekly, California, 10 January 2008.
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?xid=wthvy8jmeo0ryo
Chemical linked to Parkinson's disease. Researchers at the University of Kentucky have linked industrial use of trichloroethylene to Parkinson's disease. Lexington Herald-Leader, Kentucky, 9 January 2008.
http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/280762.html
Do perfluoropolymers biodegrade into PFOA? DuPont scientists find that their fluoropolymer degrades too slowly to be a current source of PFOA in the environment, but others aren't so sure. Environmental Science & Technology, 9 January 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/jan/science/rr_fluorotelomer.html
Hazardous homes part III: The plastic problem. Many people pride themselves on toting reusable hard plastic bottles for their drinking water instead of buying bottled water. Madison Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin, 9 January 2008.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/index.php?ntid=266128&ntpid=1
Hazardous homes part II: Household products that may be harmful. Though most of us think of our home as a place where we are safe from what seems an increasingly dangerous world, we are more often filling our houses with products and chemicals that may threaten our health. Madison Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin, 8 January 2008.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/index.php?ntid=265938
Colville tribes can sue Canadian mining firm. A Canadian mining company that dumped waste into the Columbia River just north of the U.S. border is liable for pollution cleanup under the federal Superfund law, the U.S. Supreme Court said Monday. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 8 January 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/346448_mine08.html
Pollution leads to smaller foetus sizes. Exposure to air pollution significantly reduces foetus size during pregnancy, according to a new study by Brisbane scientists. Maroochydore Sunshine Coast, 7 January 2008.
http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2008/jan/07/pollution-leads-smaller-foetus-sizes/
Jury sides with BP in pollution lawsuit. Jurors sided with oil giant BP Corp. North America Inc. on Monday in a pollution lawsuit filed by the city of Neodesha seeking to recover the costs of cleanup and damage caused by an oil refinery. Business Week, Kansas, 7 January 2008.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8U1BMLO0.htm
California bans phthalates in plastic toys. In the last decade, environmental groups have called attention to the potential dangers of phthalates, pointing to animal studies that link exposure to birth defects, hormonal disruptions, and cancer. Discover, 7 January 2008.
http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jan/california-bans-phthalates-in-plastic-toys
The baby bottle blues. As recently as 2006, few consumers thought twice about the materials used to make baby bottles. Now many parents with young children are wrestling with concerns about the safety of plastics. And they're bringing about a major shift in the marketplace. Newsweek, 6 January 2008.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/84533
Don't dish big fish to kids. Parents have been warned against feeding large fish species such as swordfish, marlin and shark to young children because of the danger of mercury poisoning. Sydney Daily Telegraph, Australia, 6 January 2008.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23014172-5001021,00.html
Low-energy bulbs 'could cause skin cancer.' Using environmentally-friendly light bulbs can be bad for your skin, say doctors. London Daily Telegraph, England, 6 January 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/01/05/eabulb105.xml
Editor's note: see an opposing viewpoint in The Daily Green: ] http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/compact-fluorescent-lightbulb-migraines-47010709
The possible perils of being thirsty while being green. The trouble with reusing those plastic bottles is that each time they are washed and refilled they become a little more scratched and crinkly, which can lead them to degrade. New York Times, 5 January 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/business/smallbusiness/05shortcuts.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin
Organic makeup gets a closer look. Cosmetics and their ingredients are not required to undergo government approval before hitting the store shelves, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Gannett News Service, 5 January 2008.
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080103/LIFESTYLE01/801030323
First-ever study to link increased mortality specifically to CO2 emissions. A Stanford scientist has spelled out for the first time the direct links between increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increases in human mortality, using a state-of-the-art computer model of the atmosphere that incorporates scores of physical and chemical environmental processes. Terra Daily, 4 January 2008.
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/First_Ever_Study_To_Link_Increased_Mortality_Specifically_To_CO2_Emissions_999.html
Putting smoking in cars to the test. California demonstration promotes the state's new ban on tobacco use in cars with minors. Smoking a cigarette in a car makes the air inside 10 to 30 times more toxic than the air outdoors on one of Southern California's most polluted days. Los Angeles Times, 4 January 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/medicine/la-me-smoking4jan04,1,682125.story
Teenage smokers risk badly wired brains. Exposure to nicotine as a teenager may cause the brain's white matter to develop abnormally, suggest researchers. New Scientist, England, 3 January 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19726370.200;jsessionid=FMKPDIJJLHFC
How safe are cell phones? More Americans are giving up their landlines for cell phones, but new research indicates that there may be health risks associated with long-term wireless use. What's a mobile addict to do? Newsweek, 3 January 2008.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/80966
Traffic fumes are still damaging children's brains. Removing lead from petrol was supposed to prevent damage to children's mental development. Now it seems that traffic fumes may still be impairing their learning - because of the soot particles it contains. New Scientist, 3 January 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19726371.000;jsessionid=HEBLOJIMBLAC
What's gotten into your genes? There is some new fascinating research that shows that by controlling our exposures to certain environmental chemicals, and also by ensuring that we get the nutrients we need, we may be able to reduce our risk of certain diseases, including some cancers. Portsmouth Herald, 3 January 2008.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080103/LIFE/801030328/-1/life06
Study predicts harsh effects of climate change on California. Hundreds more people in the US will die each year from air pollution as temperatures increase from carbon dioxide, according to a new Stanford University study. San Jose Mercury News, California, 3 January 2008.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_7867305?nclick_check=1
Lead link To Alzheimer's Disease? Lead poisoning in infancy may make Alzheimer's disease more likely decades later, a new study shows. Lead poisoning is a well-known danger, especially for young children. Months or years of lead poisoning can stunt children's growth and damage their brain, kidneys, hearing, and mental development. CBS News, 3 January 2008.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/02/health/webmd/main3668022.shtml
Bringing green homes within reach: Healthier housing for more people. To everyone's benefit, green homes link sustainable materials and practices with better human and environmental health. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2 January 2008.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-1/focus.html
Second thoughts on fluoride. Today almost 60 percent of the U.S. population drinks fluoridated water, including residents of 46 of the nation’s 50 largest cities. New research indicates that a cavity-fighting treatment could be risky if overused. Scientific American, January 2008.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=second-thoughts-on-fluoride