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 April 30, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street)
Sponsor: The Seattle Biotech Legacy Foundation
Cosponsors: Antioch University Seattle Center for Creative Change and The Russell Family Foundation
Organizer: The Institute for Children's Environmental Health
Why do we need to imagine our future vision collectively? A broad, overlapping consensus around the goal of sustainable development is emerging but society still lacks a clear unified vision of what it entails. Ecological economics argues that without a coherent, relatively detailed, shared vision of what a sustainable society would look like, there will be no political will or united effort to take us from here to there. For the sake of future generations, we need to create one.
A major focus of the presentations will be on how we might apply an ecological economics frame to the current financial crisis, which is having significant ripple effects nationally and internationally. How might the outcome be different if we were taking into account natural and human resources, rather than putting band-aids on the current system?
Dr. Joshua Farley, professor of Community Development and Applied Economics at the Gund Institute at the University of Vermont, and Dr. David Korten, author of When Corporations Rule the World and The Great Turning and cofounder of Positive Futures Network, will talk about envisioning a desirable, sustainable future and provide us with rich perspectives on potential economic models while addressing such critical questions as: What are the components of a new economy? What does it look like? What has to be done to create it?
Details are on the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/lectures.html
1) Lecture -- 10 Americans
Tuesday April 15, 2008
11:30 a.m.
Seattle, Washington
at University of Washington's South Campus Center Room 354, The Crow's Nest
Sponsor: University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Institute for Children's Environmental Health and Institute of Neurotoxicology & Neurological Disorders
The Environmental Working Group found 287 chemicals in the blood of 10 Americans. Who were they? Why should we care? What role does/should biomonitoring play in public health? "10 Americans" is a captivating and compelling presentation that brings to light the hidden danger of human exposure to toxic chemicals. Ken Cook, MSc, president of the Environmental Working Group, will present. A light lunch and drinks will be provided. Seating is limited.
Price: free
Website: http://www.ewg.org
Contact: Jocelyn Lyle, jocelyn@ewg.org
2) Precautionary Principle Working Group activities. A message from Tracee Mayfield: As chair of the CHE-WA Precautionary Principle Working Group, I would like to start in on a few of the new activities that have been proposed. If any of you have an interest in working on any of the activities, observing or just pitching in some when you have the time, please send me an email: tracee.mayfield@kingcounty.gov Depending on the interest I will set up phone calls, an email list or and/or bulletin boards for each activity.
There were several other good suggestions, but these are ones which have both energy and application in current events. Another item high on the list was to create a regional communication and education plan to promote the precautionary principle. That would fit perfectly with my school work, but I think these others are more timely considering current events.
3) CHE-WA Clearinghouse: Call for Input. As a follow-up to a survey that CHE-WA conducted last summer, we are building a clearinghouse of environmental health training opportunities, presentations, curricula, handouts, brochures, self-study materials and speakers. We'll include opportunities available within Washington state and also online materials from any location.
Do you have materials that you would like to have listed in the clearinghouse? Can your organization offer an existing or custom training if requested? Are you willing to speak to a group in a training or workshop setting? Please send information and links if available to Nancy Snow at ICEH: nsnow@iceh.org
This clearinghouse will be online and searchable so that all CHE-WA members can find organizations that already provide trainings on specific topics or speakers and/or materials for use in trainings and workshops.
If you missed the opportunity to take the survey of training needs, the survey is again available on the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/surveyForm.html
4) Seattle Green Festival. Many CHE-WA organizational members including the Institute for Children's Environmental Health, Environmental Coalition of South Seattle and others will be tabling during this festival. Come join us!
Saturday and Sunday, April 12 - 13, 2008
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, 800 Convention Place
Sponsor: Global Exchange and Co-op America, plus other partners listed on the website
The City of Seattle and the Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment are co-hosting this first ever Northwest green festival. Through the city's Clean and Green Seattle projects, you'll learn how neighbors, community nonprofits and city departments are working together to make their city a healthier place to live.
Price: $15 per person, $10 for seniors and students, children under 12 are free
Website: http://www.greenfestivals.org/content/view/767/390/
Contact: visit http://www.greenfestivals.org/component/option,com_contact/task,view/contact_id,11/Itemid,26/
various dates in March, April and May 2008
various times
at six locations throughout Multnomah County, Oregon
Sponsor: Multnomah County Health Department
Join Multnomah County in learning how your health is more than health care or personal choice. Each episode of the PBS documentary Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? will sound the alarm about America's glaring socio-economic and racial inequities in health, and search for root causes. The county is asking the community, especially those who have historically been left out of decision-making, to help them understand what actions they should take to address these challenges.
Price: free and open to the public
Website: http://www.mchealth.org:80/healthequity/calendar.shtml
Contact: Health Equity Initiative, 503-988-3030 ext. 22068 or health.equity@co.multnomah.or.us
Thursday April 10, 2008
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. ET
Sponsor: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Part one of a six-part series, the goal of this course is to enable health assessors to perform a knowledge-based preliminary evaluation of environmental radiation data that have been obtained at hazardous waste sites. Topics include structure of the atom, interactions with matter and physical units. NCEH/ATSDR staff and NCEH/ATSDR partner staff who prepare public health products or conduct community involvement/health education/health intervention activities as part of the health assessment process are invited to attend. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://app2.erg.com/registration/course_listing.cgi
Contact: Erin Dopfel, 781-674-7229 or erin.dopfel@erg.com
Thursday April 10, 2008
12:30 - 1:20 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, room T-435
Sponsor: University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and Northwest Center for Occupational Health & Safety
The speaker will be Garrett Brown, coordinator of the Maquiladora Health and Safety Support Network
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, 206-616-7924
Saturday April 12, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Bellevue, Washington
at Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, 4228 Factoria Boulevard Southeast
Sponsor: The Genesis Covenant
Recognizing the impacts of global climate change on all living things, especially on the poor, and heeding the prophetic call to take action, Healing Our Planet Earth: Singing A New Song of Hope inspires swift and decisive action to protect God's creation and engenders hope, both within and beyond the boundaries of the Episcopal Church.
Price: $80 includes snacks in the morning and afternoon, lunch and materials
Website: http://www.healingourplanetearth.org/index.html
Contact: HOPE Coordinators, hopeinfo@ecww.org
Tuesday April 15, 2008
7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Avenue
Sponsor: Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility
Join Arjun Makhijani, PhD, founder and president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research for a discussion of his newest book. A recognized authority on energy issues, Dr. Makhijani has recently published Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy, the first analysis of a transition to a U.S. economy based completely on renewable energy, without any use of fossil fuels or nuclear power.
Price: The lecture is free and open to the public. A hosted reception will be held from 6:30 to 7:30; reservations are required and a $35 donation is requested.
Website: http://www.wpsr.org/
Contact: Idil Levitas, 206-547-2630 or idill@wpsr.org
Wednesday April 16, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lacey, Washington
at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue Southeast
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
The objective of this one-day workshop is to introduce environmental consultants; federal, state and local government staff; and members of the general public to Washington's Model Toxics Control Act (WAC 173-340). This workshop will provide an overview of the MTCA administrative requirements and the associated cleanup standards. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify.
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/vaqm-401_03-08_lacey.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Thursday April 17, 2008
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. ET
Sponsor: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Part two of a six-part series, the goal of this course is to enable health assessors to perform a knowledge-based preliminary evaluation of environmental radiation data that have been obtained at hazardous waste sites. Topics include naturally occurring radioactive elements, radioactive decay and decay chains, and concepts of "equilibrium." NCEH/ATSDR staff and NCEH/ATSDR partner staff who prepare public health products or conduct community involvement/health education/health intervention activities as part of the health assessment process are invited to attend. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://app2.erg.com/registration/course_listing.cgi
Contact: Erin Dopfel, 781-674-7229 or erin.dopfel@erg.com
Thursday April 17, 2008
12:30 - 1:20 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, room T-435
Sponsor: University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
De-Kun Li, MD, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, Division of Research, Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, will present.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, 206-616-7924
Thursday April 17, 2008
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Antioch University, room 100, 2326 Sixth Avenue
Sponsor: Antioch University
Explore how the center's five interdisciplinary graduate programs can help you learn to lead positive change whether 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 with a commitment to create a better world for everyone. The Center offers masters' degrees in Environment & Community, Whole Systems Design, Strategic Communication, Organizational Psychology and Management, as well as Graduate Certificates.
Price: free
Website: http://www.antiochsea.edu/academics/creativechange/index.html
Contact: Wendy Olsen, 888-268-4477 ext. 5208
Thursday and Friday, April 17 - 18, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lacey, Washington
at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue Southeast
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
This course provides attendees with an in-depth understanding of the procedures for establishing cleanup levels and points of compliance under the Model Toxics Control Act (WAC 173-340). The course covers procedures for establishing cleanup levels using Methods A, B and C for groundwater, surface water and soil, including a discussion of recent rule revisions related to dioxins/furans, PCBs and carcinogenic PAHs. Included is discussion of applying the terrestrial ecological evaluation process to soils at sites. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify.
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/vaqm-401_03-08_lacey.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Saturday April 19, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Pigeon Point Park & Cooper Elementary School, 1901 SW Genesee Street
Sponsor: Duwamish Alive!
The day's schedule includes a restoration work party from 10:00 to 2:00, native plant walks led by members of the council, unveiling of Nature Consortium's documentary on Seattle's urban forests, first look at Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition's map of the Duwamish River and interactive website, community group information tables, environmental education activities and more.
Price: free, please rsvp at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/96872749
Website: http://www.nweec.org/ea.htm
Contact: Shannon Luoma, 206-923-1980 or sluoma@nweec.org
Thursday April 24, 2008
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. ET
Sponsor: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Part three of a six-part series, the goal of this course is to enable health assessors to perform a knowledge-based preliminary evaluation of environmental radiation data that have been obtained at hazardous waste sites. Topics include instrumentation and radiation measurement/detection, basic statistics needed for radiation evaluation and issues associated with detection and measurements. NCEH/ATSDR staff and NCEH/ATSDR partner staff who prepare public health products or conduct community involvement/health education/health intervention activities as part of the health assessment process are invited to attend. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://app2.erg.com/registration/course_listing.cgi
Contact: Erin Dopfel, 781-674-7229 or erin.dopfel@erg.com
Thursday April 24, 2008
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the Doubletree Hotel-Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah
Sponsor: Oregon Environmental Council
Obesity is generally thought of as an individual problem, an offshoot of the couch-potato syndrome, in which people eat too much while exercising too little. But now scientists are asking about the ways that exposure to low levels of contaminants may predispose people to obesity. Research from an increasing number of studies suggests that minute exposures to common chemicals might pre-program people to be obesity-prone.
Price: $35, $25 for members and nonprofit or governmental agency employees
Website: http://www.oeconline.org/events
Contact: Oregon Environmental Council, 503-222-1963 or info@oeconline.org
Thursday April 24, 2008
7:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Camp Long Environmental Learning Center's Main Building, 5200 35th Avenue SW
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Education Council (NWEEC) and Antioch University
"Thirst" explores questions such as, Is water part of a shared "commons," a human right for all people? Or is it a commodity to be bought, sold, and traded in a global marketplace? This film tells the stories of communities in Bolivia, India, and the United States that are asking these fundamental questions.
Price: free
Website: http://www.nweec.org/ea.htm
Contact: Shannon Luoma, 206-923-1980 or sluoma@nweec.org
Sunday April 27, 2008
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Greenlake PCC Natural Market classroom, 7504 Aurora Avenue North
Sponsor: Washington Action for Safe Water
Join Washington Action for Safe Water in its efforts to educate our community about the toxicity of fluoridation.
Price: unknown
Contact: Washington Action for Safe Water, safewater@comcast.net
Wednesday April 30, 2008
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Lynnwood, Washington
at the Lynnwood Convention Center, 3711 196th Street Southwest
Sponsor: The Breast Cancer Fund and the Breastfeeding Coalition of Washington
Instructors Sandra Steingraber, PhD, and Ted Schettler, MD, MPH, will present an in-depth look at the links between toxic chemicals in our environment, breastfeeding and breast cancer. This conference is intended for physicians, nurses, lactation consultants, registered dieticians, and other health professionals. Online registration for this conference ends on Monday, April 21st.
Price: physicians $100, others $85, luncheon only $30
Website: http://www.breastcancerfund.org/lookingupstream
Contact: Pam Tazioli, 206-524-4405 or pamela@breastcancerfund.org
Thursday May 1, 2008
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. ET
Sponsor: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Part four of a six-part series, the goal of this course is to enable health assessors to perform a knowledge-based preliminary evaluation of environmental radiation data that have been obtained at hazardous waste sites. Topics include terminology and the concepts of radiation exposure, radiation dose, critical organ and external and internal dosimetry models. NCEH/ATSDR staff and NCEH/ATSDR partner staff who prepare public health products or conduct community involvement/health education/health intervention activities as part of the health assessment process are invited to attend. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://app2.erg.com/registration/course_listing.cgi
Contact: Erin Dopfel, 781-674-7229 or erin.dopfel@erg.com
Thursday May 1, 2008
3:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington School of Public Health, Hogness Auditorium, A-420 Health Sciences
Sponsor: Dean's Office, School of Public Health
David Cay Johnston will deliver this 2008 Stephen Stewart Gloyd Endowed Lecture. Mr. Johnston's latest book is titled "Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You With the Bill)." He also wrote the 2004 best seller "Perfectly Legal: The Covert Campaign to Rig Our Tax System to Benefit the Super Rich--and Cheat Everybody Else."
Price: unknown
Website: http://apps.sphcm.washington.edu/envhlth/cal/cal.asp?mo=5&dd=All+Days&yr=2008&calendar=envhlth
Contact: Holly Weese, 206-685-6643
Saturday May 3, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel, 1400 Sixth Avenue
Sponsor: Green for Good
The expo will feature organic and green products for babies, new parents, children and pregnant women. Dr. Alan Greene, author of "Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth and Baby Care," will speak on how to raise your baby green. A luncheon runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Institute for Children's Environmental Health. Exhibit spaces are still available for businesses and organizations that sell green products or services.
Price: event is free, $65 for the luncheon
Website: http://www.greenpowerbabyshower.com/
Contact: Teresa Wippel, 425-772-3056
Thursday May 8, 2008
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. ET
Sponsor: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Part five of a six-part series, the goal of this course is to enable health assessors to perform a knowledge-based preliminary evaluation of environmental radiation data that have been obtained at hazardous waste sites. Topics include typical environmental concentrations of radioactive materials, common materials that may contain radioactive elements and environmental pathway analyses. NCEH/ATSDR staff and NCEH/ATSDR partner staff who prepare public health products or conduct community involvement/health education/health intervention activities as part of the health assessment process are invited to attend. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://app2.erg.com/registration/course_listing.cgi
Contact: Erin Dopfel, 781-674-7229 or erin.dopfel@erg.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/
New Members. CHE-Washington welcomes these new members:
For a searchable database of organizations with which CHE-WA members are affiliated, please visit the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/members.html
National Public Health Week. This week, the American Public Health Association leads National Public Health Week. This year's theme is "Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance."
http://www.nphw.org/nphw08/default.htm
National Children's Study Request for Proposals. The National Children's Study has issued of a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for additional Study Centers. The study plans to establish another wave of new Study locations and Centers across the country and is soliciting proposals by interested organizations to serve as Study Centers. Proposals are due May 2, 2008.
http://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NICHD/Reference-Number-NIH-NICHD-NCS-08-21/listing.html
National Healthy Schools Day. On April 28th, schools, parents, personnel, advocates and agencies nationwide will work to promote healthy and green school environments for all children. National Healthy Schools Day is the first day of School Building Week, April 30 through May 4th. More information, including a list of national and state-based events, is available from CEFPI Foundation & Charitable Trust.
http://sbw.cefpifoundation.org/
EPA Smart Growth Request for Application. The 2008 Request for Applications for Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (SGIA) is now open through May 8, 2008. This annual, competitive solicitation is open to state, local, regional and tribal governments (and nonprofits that have partnered with a governmental entity) that want to incorporate smart growth techniques into their future development.
http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia.htm
EPA Brownfields Request for Applications. EPA announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities and nonprofit organizations to provide training, research and technical assistance to communities facing brownfield cleanup and redevelopment challenges. EPA is interested in projects in the areas of protection of human heath and the environment, sustainable development and equitable development. The proposal deadline is May 1, 2008.
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/trta.htm
EPA Seeks Public Comment on Possible Drinking Water Contaminants. EPA is asking for public comment on a list of 104 possible drinking water contaminants that may need to be regulated. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA includes on the draft Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) currently unregulated contaminants that are known to occur in public water systems and which may require regulation. This draft CCL lists 93 chemical contaminants or groups and 11 microbes and describes the process and basis for selecting these contaminants.
http://epa.gov/aging/press/epanews/2008/2008_0220_1.htm
Request for Proposals. EPA is making available approximately $500,000 for Tribal Lead Grants, Tribal Educational Outreach on Lead Poisoning and Baseline Assessment of Tribal Children's Existing and Potential Exposure and Risks Associated with Lead. EPA is accepting grant proposals from Federally-recognized Indian tribes and tribal consortia to support Tribal educational outreach and to conduct a baseline assessment of Tribal children's existing and potential exposure to lead-based paint and related lead-based paint hazards. The closing date for applicants to submit proposals under this announcement is April 21, 2008. Applicants can apply via mail or online: http://www.grants.gov
http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/rfp030608.pdf
Health Disparities Funding Opportunity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a new Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) on "Elimination of Health Disparities through Translation Research (R18)."
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/CD08-001.htm
Lead levels in children's jewelry match those of car batteries. Six out of 10 children's jewelry items for sale in Canada tested at the government's product safety laboratory in the last two years had dangerous and illegal levels of lead -- some with levels comparable to car batteries made of almost pure lead. CanWest News, Canada, 8 April 2008.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=5c0f67cd-25eb-4602-bd31-c6f18f44374a&k=43026
Tranquillisers putting children's lives at risk. New evidence has shown children's lives are being put at risk by a surge in the use of controversial tranquillising drugs which are being prescribed to control their behaviour, the Guardian has learned. London Guardian, England, 8 April 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/apr/07/mentalhealth.drugs
Babies gain weight with less sleep. Infants and toddlers who slept fewer than 12 hours in a 24-hour period were twice as likely to be overweight than longer sleepers by the time they're 3 years old, a study showed Monday. USA Today, 8 April 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-04-07-sleep-weight_N.htm
Government sued after approving 4 pesticides. Environmental and farmworker advocates have sued the Bush administration for allowing the continued use of four pesticides, saying it brushed aside its own findings showing danger to workers, children and wildlife. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 8 April 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/08/BA6P101C4R.DTL
Scientists warn of nuclear war's dire effects. A team of U.S. experts warns that even a limited nuclear war between India and Pakistan could cause a near-global threat to the Earth's atmosphere and the human life it protects. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 8 April 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/08/MN6D1005GM.DTL&type=science
Teenage tanners 'increase skin cancer risk by 75% with sunbeds.' Young people who use sunbeds are increasing their risk of life-threatening skin cancer by up to 75 per cent, Cancer Research UK has warned. London Times, England, 8 April 2008.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article3705630.ece
Living the toxin-free life. There are plastic baby bottles that leach chemicals, lotions and fragrances with toxins that can enter the bloodstream and disrupt enzymes, and household cleaning products that sanitize but can cause health problems. Attleboro Sun Chronicle, Massachusetts, 8 April 2008.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2008/04/08/features/2989676.txt
Poor left out of environmental loop. When you're struggling with bills, the last thing on your mind is global warming or your carbon footprint. But those with low incomes will be most affected by climate change, and are often the least informed. Albany Times Union, New York, 7 April 2008.
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=678647&category=REGION&newsdate=4/7/2008
Drug errors hurt children at higher rate. Medicine mix-ups, accidental overdoses and bad drug reactions harm roughly one out of 15 hospitalized children, according to the first scientific test of a new detection method. Associated Press, 7 April 2008.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.errors07apr07,0,3018205.story
Time to update environmental regulations. Should public health standards for endocrine-disrupting compounds be based upon sixteenth century dogma or modern endocrinology? San Francisco Medicine, 7 April 2008.
http://www.sfms.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=2506&SECTION=Article_Archives
Toxins teeming in the workplace. Suffering from fatigue, headaches, nausea, dry cough or eye, nose or throat irritation? Your workplace may be to blame. Oklahoma City Oklahoman, Oklahoma, 7 April 2008.
http://newsok.com/article/3225659/1207504885
Cantwell blasts old mining law. Dawn Mining stopped mining in 1984, but environmental and health consequences at the Spokane Indian Reservation remain. Now, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. is helping through the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Indian Country Today, 7 April 2008.
http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096416961
Early findings on air pollution's effects on brain cause concern. Hundreds of studies have linked air pollution to early deaths, heart attacks, reduced lung function, lung cancer and other health problems. Now, scientists are finding out what it does to people's brains. Riverside Press-Enterprise, California, 6 April 2008.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_brain07.34fc63e.html
Parents want to know if they can solve behavior problems with diet. Using diet modification to treat a child's behavior problems has been popular and controversial since the 1920s, though there is very little proof of long-lasting results. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 6 April 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/357840_nohle07.html
'Toxic trailers' raise fears about RVs. Air quality advocates say ordinary camper trailers and motorized recreational vehicles can be unhealthy because no federal or state agency attempts to bar manufacturers from using materials containing formaldehyde. Indianapolis Star, Indiana, 6 April 2008.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080406/LOCAL/804060353/1003/BUSINESS
Climate change: Dangerous to your health? Doctors have warned of disastrous health outcomes over the next 10 years, particularly among children and the elderly, unless greater action is taken on climate change. Australian Associated Press, 6 April 2008.
http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/04/06/CLIMATE_CHANGE_Dangerous_to_your_health
[Editor's note: see a related article highlighting a statement from the Ontario College of Family Physicians: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=976452 ]
Mattress eco-matters: don't take it lying down. Your mattress might be an environmental nightmare. Washington Post, 6 April 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/03/AR2008040303081.html
Tainted medicine. Financial conflicts of interest are raising some upsetting questions about the trustworthiness of research. Los Angeles Times, California, 6 April 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-op-kassirer6apr06,0,6496536.story
Organic compound in household products may make human breast cells cancerous. Researchers at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute found that Bisphenol A makes normal, non-cancerous human breast cells express genes characteristic of aggressive breast cancer cells. Asian News International, South Asia, 6 April 2008.
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/230222.php/Organic-compound-in-household-products-may-make-human-breast-cells-cancerous
The war on lead. Lead is a quiet threat both before and after it comes in contact with people. Chipping paint or dust may not be readily noticed and the side effects of lead poisoning do not show up right away. Marshalltown Times-Republican, Iowa, 6 April 2008.
http://www.timesrepublican.com/page/content.detail/id/504773.html?nav=5005
Food additives 'could be as damaging as lead in petrol.' Artificial food colours are set to be removed from hundreds of products after a team of university researchers warned they were doing as much damage to children's brains as lead in petrol. London Independent, England, 5 April 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/food-additives-could-be-as-damaging-as-lead-in-petrol-804890.html
Green clean: Chemical concern grows, so do 'friendly' products. The household cleaning products aisle of the grocery store presents a dizzying array of choices … and some scary-sounding possibilities, if you read the fine print. Davenport Quad-City Times, Iowa, 5 April 2008.
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/04/05/features/home_garden/doc47f69731c08af854658680.txt
International community should raise voice against use of Depleted Uranium: Justice Jain. The international community and all citizens of the world must raise a unified voice against the future use of depleted uranium and force those nations that have used depleted uranium munitions to recognize the immoral consequences of their actions and assume responsibility for medical care and thorough environmental remediation, appealed Justice Vijender Jain, Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court. Punjab Newsline, India, 5 April 2008.
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/9726/38/
What are these chemicals and what do they do? According to the EPA, the air we breathe inside our homes could be up to five times as polluted as the air outside. Davenport Quad-City Times, Iowa, 5 April 2008.
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/04/04/features/home_garden/doc47f6966868503319100311.txt
Vets 'at risk from miscarriage.' Female vets over-exposed to the anaesthetics, X-rays and pesticides they use could be raising their chances of miscarriage, research suggests. BBC, UK, 3 April 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7326459.stm
Toxic fumes, blisters and brain damage : The cost of doing business? After years living near the largest industrial farm in New York, residents' health symptoms take on national relevance as the EPA prepares to roll back air-pollution reporting requirements for industrial animal farms. Ithaca Times, New York, 3 April 2008.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19446417&BRD=1395&PAG=461&dept_id=216620&rfi=6
Gadget recycling may be poisoning China's children. Think about this next time you upgrade your PC: toxic metals from old electronic goods are finding their way into school grounds in China. New Scientist, England, 3 April 2008.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/mg19826505.700-gadget-recycling-may-be-poisoning-chinas-children.html
Breast cancer and exposure to hormonally active chemicals: An appraisal of the scientific evidence. Overwhelming evidence shows that exposures to natural and pharmaceutical estrogens are strong determinants of breast cancer risks. ChemTrust, Health and Environment Alliance, 2 April 2008.
http://www.chemtrust.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=69
[Editor's note: see a related article at http://www.euractiv.com/en/health/avoiding-chemical-exposure-way-halt-breast-cancer/article-171326 ]
Kids' health and IQ could improve with congestion pricing plan. Not only would there be less pollution, but asthma, heart disease and even kids' IQs could improve under the NY congestion pricing plan, experts say. New York Daily News, New York, 2 April 2008.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/04/02/2008-04-02_kids_health_and_iq_could_improve_with_co.html
Gregoire signs nation's toughest toy safety measure. Toy safety rules that started as a strong sprint, then nearly stumbled out of the race, finally wobbled across the finish line Tuesday when Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law the toughest standards in the nation. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 2 April 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/357287_toys02.html?source=mypi
Mom's fish intake may boost child's brain power. Preschoolers whose mothers regularly ate low-mercury fish during pregnancy may have sharper minds than their peers, a study suggests. Reuters, 2 April 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL16678020080401
EPA rule seeks to shield children from lead paint. Contractors renovating U.S. homes built before 1978 must take special precautions to avoid exposing children to lead paint under a regulation announced Monday by the Environmental Protection Agency. Los Angeles Times, California, 1 April 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-fi-lead1apr01,1,5658295.story
Tracing autism's roots. Do vaccinations cause autism? Despite the fact that one major study after another has answered no since the issue came to the fore around 2000, 54% of parents of autistic children in a 2006 survey said the answer is yes. Fortune, 1 April 2008.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/31/magazines/fortune/autism_roots.fortune/?postversion=2008040104
Autism's simmering controversy. This month, federal officials conceded that 9-year-old Hannah Poling of Athens, Ga., should be awarded damages from a federal vaccine-injury fund because vaccines worsened a rare mitochondrial dysfunction. This, they said, led to autism-like symptoms. Louisville Courier-Journal, Kentucky, 31 March 2008.
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080331/NEWS01/803310418&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
Why eating just one sausage a day raises your cancer risk by 20 percent. One sausage a day can significantly raise the risk of bowel cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease, experts have warned. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 31 March 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=550729&in_page_id=1774
Group shares stories, warnings about asbestos poisoning. Andrew Manuel's seemingly benign back pain turned out to be something far more sinister, and within two years, the married father of three shed 65 pounds, underwent surgery to have a lung removed and endured chemotherapy and radiation to no avail. He died at 42 of mesothelioma. Detroit Free Press, Michigan, 31 March 2008.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080330/NEWS05/80330041/1007
Mobile phones 'more dangerous than smoking.' Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. London Independent, England, 30 March 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/mobile-phones-more-dangerous-than-smoking-802602.html
[Editor's note: See an opposing point of view at http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=440019 ]
WA monitoring stations keep an eye on pesticide drift. At secret locations near orchards in the Yakima Valley, scientists have set up air-monitoring stations to try to find out if dangerous levels of pesticides are drifting near homes, schools or day care centers, threatening public health. Yakima Herald Republic, Washington, 30 March 2008.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2766
EPA drops ball on danger of chemicals to children. Like many parents, New Berlin mom Becky Fisco figures that if the chemicals sprayed on crib mattresses could make her 5-month-old baby sick, government regulators would warn her about it. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 30 March 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=733566
Event discloses high toxin levels in children's toys. The handheld device resembled a price scanner, but after it zapped his son's Fisher Price roller vacuum toy, sticker shock wasn't what upset state Sen. Bob Duff. Stamford Advocate, Connecticut, 30 March 2008.
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_8745729
Dad's hidden influence. Growing evidence suggests that a father's age and his exposure to chemicals can leave a medical legacy that lasts generations. Science News, 29 March 2008.
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080329/bob9.asp
Climate change may boost health risks. Scientists expect the average yearly temperature in Washington to rise one degree Fahrenheit every 10 years, and the climate change will have massive impacts on health. Longview Daily News, Washington, 29 March 2008.
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/03/28/area_news/10177406.txt
Pesticide Parkinson's link strong. There is strong evidence that exposure to pesticides significantly increases the risk of Parkinson's disease, experts believe. BBC, UK, 29 March 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7318188.stm
Ban fast food in schools, says WHO expert. A visiting expert from the World Health Organisation has called for a blanket ban on fast food in school campuses to save the younger generations all over the world from the danger of obesity and diabetes. Doha Peninsula, Qatar, 28 March 2008.
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=March2008&file=Local_News200803288425.xml
Possible suicide link prompts FDA to probe Merck asthma drug. The Food and Drug Administration said it is investigating a possible association between the widely used asthma medication Singulair and behavioral changes, including suicide. Wall Street Journal, 28 March 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120663164096268731.html
Six baby cough medicines pulled. Cough remedies aimed at very young children are to be removed from shelves amid fears of accidental overdose. The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has ordered six products be permanently removed from sale for children aged under two. BBC, UK, 27 March 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7315924.stm
UK researcher raises 'red flag' on new drugs. A University of Kentucky researcher is suggesting that drugs being developed based on a Nobel Prize-winning genetic breakthrough may have dangerous side effects -- casting doubt on a research area attracting billions of drug company dollars. Louisville Courier-Journal, Kentucky, 27 March 2008.
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080327/NEWS01/803270448
Garden hoses' safety. "Warning: This hose contains chemicals, including lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. Wash hands after use." Santa Barbara Independent, California, 27 March 2008.
http://www.independent.com/news/2008/mar/27/garden-hoses-safety/
PBS to air study on link between money, health. If you tell Dr. Anthony Iton where you live and how much money you make, he'll tell you how long you're likely to live. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 27 March 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/26/BUC0VPO45.DTL
Gadgets can contain banned chemical. The sex-toy industry is like a bad pet owner who lets their dog chew on toxic toys. Edmonton Journal, Canada, 27 March 2008.
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/reallife/story.html?id=ba363f57-39d6-4337-b65d-a5cadad0b014
Environmentalists seek formaldehyde exposure limit. Environmental activists are urging EPA to set a national standard limiting the amount of formaldehyde that can be released by wood products used in homes. Chemical & Engineering News, 26 March 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i13/8613news6.html
Study: Premature birth has lingering effects. Being born prematurely can cause health problems that haunt people into adulthood and even affect their own children, a study shows. USA Today, 26 March 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-25-premature-birth_N.htm
Hair dyes found to increase cancer risk. Hairdressers and barbers are at increased risk of developing cancer -- because of their use of hair dyes. And the risks could extend to personal use of the dyes, according to international experts. London Independent, England, 26 March 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/hair-dyes-found-to-increase-cancer-risk-800458.html