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Coordinated nationally by the Institute for Children's Environmental Health |
These bulletins are archived and searchable on the Partnership's website: http://www.partnersforchildren.org/bulletins.html To join the Partnership for Children's Health and the Environment (PCHE) and receive this bulletin, please complete the form on our website: http://www.partnersforchildren.org/members.html#member
Companion bulletins are available for more specific audiences:
While there is overlap with this bulletin, there are some events and announcements unique to those bulletins.
Friday September 12, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the World Trade Center
Sponsor: Environmental Law Education Center
Topics include 1) federal & state policies & laws addressing toxics, 2) proposed legislation for the 2009 legislative session, 3) municipalities' responses, 4) water quality standards & fish consumption, 5) comprehensive chemical reform, 6) pesticides & pharmaceuticals, 7) recent research on toxics & public health, and 8) what approach should we take in addressing toxics?
Price: $450 early registration through August 29th, $495 after, with discounts for government and nonprofits
Website: http://www.elecenter.com/agenda_2008-09-12.htm
Friday September 12, 2008
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Anchorage, Alaska
at the Media Center, Second Floor, Providence Cancer Center, 3851 Piper Street
Sponsor: Alaska Community Action on Toxics, University of Alaska Anchorage, The Complex Systems Group University of Alaska Anchorage
Devra Lee Davis, MD, MPH, is an internationally-renowned environmental health expert. She is the director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health. In addition to her academic appointments, Dr. Davis has held multiple advisory roles in national and international agencies, including the World Health Organization. She was a global environmental advisor for Newsweek and founding director of the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. Her previous book, When Smoke Ran Like Water, was a finalist for the National Book Award in Nonfiction.
Price: free
Contact: Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 907-222-7714 or info@akaction.net
Sunday through Tuesday, September 14 - 16, 2008
Long Beach, California
at the Long Beach Convention Center, 300 East Ocean Boulevard
Sponsor: California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA) and others; for the complete list see http://www.capcoagreen.com/sponsors/
This conference will showcase clean-air and low-carbon energy and transportation technologies and the environmental and economic benefits they bring to our community and planet. The conference will provide attendees with information about how they can integrate new and emerging "green" technologies that address air pollution, global warming and petroleum dependency into their lives.
Price: see http://www.capcoagreen.com/registration/
Website: http://www.capcoagreen.com/
Contact: California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, 800-993-0302 or info@capcoagreen.com
September 14 - 26, 2008
Sponsor: College of Exploration
This two-week seminar will serve as a general introduction to a cutting-edge topic in ocean science which is just beginning to appear on the public education radar screen: the relationship between ocean and human health (OHH). It is geared toward educators, health and environmental professionals, but is also appropriate for interested members of the general public. Oceanography, public health, marine ecology, epidemiology, medicine and other disciplines are all key in understanding how the ocean affects our health. When we pollute the environment, and specifically our ocean, we find that it has deleterious effects not only on marine life, but on our own lives as well. People can become ill from eating seafood contaminated by harmful algal blooms, and pollution from surface drains in coastal areas can close beaches. On a brighter note, the oceans are an obvious source of nutritional foods and medicines, and their inhabitants can serve as models for studying human diseases. This seminar will examine the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between the ocean and our own health. Global climate change, harmful algal blooms (HABs), marine biopharmaceuticals, and the use of marine organisms as biomedical models will be some of the topics presented. Federal policies and organizations focusing on OHH will also be explored. One graduate credit in biology is available from the University of California Fullerton.
Price: $100
Website: http://www.coexploration.org:80/ohh/seminar08.html
Contact: College of Exploration, 703-433-5760
Monday September 15, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Cincinnati, Ohio
at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 50 East Freedom Way
Sponsor: University of Cincinnati (UC) Center for Environmental Genetics and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Local scientists will present recent data on hazards in the home, including lead, plastics, second-hand smoke, mold and traffic exhaust. UC experts will also offer practical ideas for how residents can improve the health of their communities and individual families by assessing environmental exposures. The event is open to the public. Registration is required and must be received by Friday September 5, 2008.
Price: $15
Website: http://www.kypost.com/content/wcposhared/story.aspx?content_id=7e5b49c5-5dc7-4606-9042-33c20b923841
Contact: Elizabeth Kopras, 513-558-3625 or koprasej@uc.edu
Monday September 15, 2008
6:15-9:00 p.m., program starts at 7:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at Kells' Banquet Room, 112 SW 2nd Avenue
Sponsor: Recycling Advocates
Join Mayor-elect Sam Adams and other experts at Recycling Advocates' annual meeting and public forum. The discussion will focus on the debate raging around the usage, recycling, and banning of plastic bags. This event is free to members of Recycling Advocates and the general public but donations will be gladly accepted to help Recycling Advocates further the valuable work being done for the citizens of Oregon and the Northwest in the area of recycling and sustainability. Light refreshments will be served.
Price: free, but donations will be accepted
Website: http://www.earthshare-oregon.org/our-groups/profiles/recyclingadvocates/event.2008-08-11.6436498620
Contact: info@RecyclingAdvocates.org
Monday through Wednesday, September 15 - 17, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Baltimore, Maryland
at the Baltimore Hilton and Conference Center, 401 West Pratt Street
Sponsor: US Department of Housing and Urban Development
The conference will gather a broad community of experts to discuss regulatory, policy, research and outreach needs and their implications in the development of comprehensive, integrated approaches linking health and housing to ensure safe, healthy and efficient housing. The conference will examine the lessons learned from our national lead-poisoning-prevention strategy and the current state of the art as we begin building the framework needed to develop a national healthy housing agenda.
Price: free
Website: http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/2008NHHC.cfm
Contact: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, 202-708-1112
Tuesday September 16, 2008
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Sponsor: United States National Cancer Institute
The US National Cancer Institute will hold four public meetings of the President's Cancer Panel. This year the panel's focus is "Cancer and the Environment" and the first meeting's topic is titled "Industrial and Manufacturing Exposures." These meetings offer a unique opportunity for interested individuals to tell the panel and the American people what we have learned about the environmental causes of cancer. Each meeting will explore a different set of environmental contributors to cancer causation. The agenda for each meeting includes official testimony by 12 invited experts and 15 to 20 minutes of open public comment.
Price: unknown
Contact: Shelby Gonzalez, shelby@healthandenvironment.org
Four Tuesdays from September 16 through October 14, 2008
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: National Collaborative Work Group on Green Cleaning and Chemical Policy Reform in Schools; for a list of all sponsors, please see the web address below
The four presentations are targeted at different audiences: all audiences, parents and communities, schools, and workers.
Price: free
Website: http://www.cleaningforhealthyschools.org/documents/training_schedule.pdf
Tuesday through Thursday, September 16 - 18, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sacramento, California
at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, Sacramento Public Library, 828 I Street, East Meeting Room
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
This course provides an overview that will cover the basic terms, concepts and logic that underlie modern scientific sampling. Much of the class will be devoted to the understanding of how to apply the basic concepts of probability to sampling problems and how to use probability to measure the effectiveness of the sampling process. We will discuss the difference between purposive and random sampling and discuss why random sampling (and its many variations) is so frequently used in manufacturing, science and government. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $595, $495 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/stat-403_09-08_sacramento.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Thursday and Friday, September 18 - 19, 2008
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman Quad
Sponsor: The Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment (MACCHE), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry RIII (ATSDR), Children's National Medical Center (CNMC) Drexel University (DU), The George Washington University (GWU), Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH), University of Pennsylvania Center for Public Health Initiatives (CPHI), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), US Environmental Protection Agency RIII (EPA)
The first day of the conference will include an optional Walk in the Park -- a guided tour of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. The second day will be full of engaging discussions that will explore the intersection between the environment and children's health issues and will be centered on the following tracks: climate change, healthy homes, children in nature, exposure to toxicants and outcomes in children, and emerging issues in children's environmental health. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.gwu.edu/%7Emacche/philadelphiaconference08/
Contact: The Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment, 866-622-2431 or pehsu@gwu.edu
Monday and Tuesday, September 22 - 23, 2008
7:30 a.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington, Health Sciences Building T-435
Sponsor: University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine (SPHCM)
What do leach residue from Arizona mines, brass mill waste from Illinois, and tire ash from New England have in common? They are all banned from air and water release, and they can all be found in significant amounts in the fertilizer that is spread on crops from Washington State to Bangladesh. Do these toxins show up in our food? Do they pose a hazard to health? Are health-care providers equipped to recognize these hazards? Incoming SPHCM students will meet to discuss these and other issues in an integrated public health case study based on the book Fateful Harvest by Duff Wilson. Through the case study, students will explore how the pieces of public health puzzles fit together and how their own specialized role contributes to the interdisciplinary public health whole.
Price: unknown
Website: http://apps.sphcm.washington.edu/envhlth/cal/cal.asp?mo=9&dd=All+Days&yr=2008&calendar=envhlth
Contact: University of Washington School of Public Health, 206-543-1144 or sphcm@u.washington.edu
Tuesday September 23, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Missoula, Montana
at the Courtyard by Marriott, 4559 North Reserve Street, Bitterroot Room
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
This course provides participants with an overview of key chemistry concepts associated with environmental contamination and provides a foundation for understanding contaminant transport and fate. This material is intended for environmental professionals who are not chemists but who require a fundamental understanding of chemistry principles for their work. This course is recommended for all environmental professionals working with contaminated soil and water with minimal formal training in the subject. It is also recommended for project managers seeking a review of the subject. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $250, $195 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify.
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/chem-403a_09-08_missoula.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Wednesday and Thursday, September 24 - 25, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sacramento, California
at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria Sacramento Public Library's East Meeting Room, 828 I Street
Sponsor: The Northwest Environmental Training Center
This course provides an overview of the vapor intrusion exposure pathway including its scientific foundation, regulatory framework, and the technical aspects of investigating and remediating contaminated vapor sites. The class will cover topics such as screening sites for potential vapor intrusion concerns, conducting field investigations, sampling techniques, data analyses, exposure point calculations, the Johnson and Ettinger predictive model, vapor intrusion risk assessment, vapor intrusion mitigation, and remediation. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/training.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976 or info@nwetc.org
Wednesday through Friday, September 24 - 26, 2008
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
at the Sheraton Steamboat Resort, 2200 Village Inn Court
Sponsor: Colorado Environmental Health Association
The theme for this conference is "Strengthening the profession: building leadership, visibility and capacity." Conference tracks include water and wastewater, food safety, sustainability and the built environment, air quality and waste, and general environmental health . Continuing education credits are available.
Price: see the website below
Website: http://www.cehaweb.com/
Contact: Colorado Environmental Health Association, CehaWeb@aol.com
Friday through Sunday, September 24 - 26, 2008
Mystic, Connecticut
at the Hilton Mystic, 20 Coogan Boulevard
Sponsor: Connecticut Environmental Health Association (CEHA)
The Yankee Conference is a gathering of environmental health professionals from throughout the Northeast. Its purpose is to provide the latest information on topics such as environmental leadership, food protection, preparedness, recreational health, onsite sewage disposal, water and air quality and other current environmental health issues. In addition to offering attendees networking opportunities unavailable anywhere else in the area, every year the Yankee Conference offers a variety of educational sessions for both newer and experienced environmental health professionals. The theme of this year's conference is "Inspiring Excellence in Environmental Health."
Price: see the website below
Website: http://www.cteha.org/
Contact: Rob Guerrera, 203-256-3020 or rguerrer@town.fairfield.ct.us
Thursday September 25, 2008
9:00 a.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment
In late July, lawmakers in the United States passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which includes provisions banning three types of phthalates (plastics softeners) and temporarily banning three other types from certain children's products. The ban is based on limited data suggesting that phthalates act as endocrine disruptors. The CPSI Act, as well as the 2007 European REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) legislation, are landmark examples of a precautionary, rather than reactionary, approach to public health. How do REACH and the phthalates ban fit into a larger movement toward the precautionary approach? What constitutes "proof of harm" in light of emerging knowledge about the complexity of disease causation? Just how does new science become new policy? This a special CHE Policy Education Call will explore these important and timely questions.
Price: free
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/partnership_calls/4236
Thursday September 25, 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: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Dr. Heather Stapleton, assistant professor at Duke University, will lead this lecture. Continuing educational credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, fisch@u.washington.edu
begins Friday September 26, 2008
Sponsor: Teleosis Institute
In this eight-week, flexible online format course, health care professionals will learn the newly emerging discipline of sustainable medicine. The course will review the most up-to-date theory and research behind sustainable medicine and introduce participants to the best practices for initiating green health care, including greening their offices, offering affordable and renewable medical treatments, and promoting community and environmental health.
Price: Teleosis member $445, nonmember $495, student $250
Website: http://www.teleosis.org/ghcp.php
Contact: Nina, 510-558-7285 or nina@teleosis.org
Thursday October 2, 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: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
David Michaels, PhD, MPH, will lead this lecture. Continuing educational credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, fisch@u.washington.edu
Thursdays, October 2 - November 11, 2008
4:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Seattle Central Community College, 1701 Broadway
Sponsor: American Lung Association of Washington
This seven-week course for construction and design professionals focuses on incorporating "green", sustainable, healthy and energy-efficient building techniques in residential construction. Extensive in-depth information and resources will be discussed which can be directly applied to daily practices. All topics address costs associated with and practical applications of healthy building techniques. By attending the Healthy House Training workshop series on indoor air quality, builders, designers, and other professionals can learn cost-effective, healthy choices in construction techniques, visit a model healthy home and meet their customers' needs. Classes are taught by experts in the field in the region.
Price: $575, Guild members or Master Builders Association members pay $525; registration after September 1st is $625; scholarships are available
Website: http://www.mrsnv.com/evt/home.jsp?id=1967
Contact: Aileen Gagney, 206-441-5100 X 14 or agagney@alaw.org
Friday October 3, 2008
7:45 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
San Jose, California
at San Jose City Hall
Sponsor: Healthy Silicon Valley
Healthy Silicon Valley seeks to improve our community's health by strengthening the ability of individuals to make healthy choices about diet and exercise. Breakout sessions include Healthy Foodways, Healthy Urban Living, Healthy Environments for Healthcare and Healthy Workplace
Price: $35 early bird, $50 after September 19th
Website: http://healthysiliconvalley.org/
Sunday through Wednesday, October 5 - 8, 2008
San Antonio, Texas
at the Westin Riverwalk, 420 Market Street
Sponsor: National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC)
The NPHIC Annual Conference attracts public health communicators in health and emergency response agencies, public relations professionals in private firms, representatives of companies affiliated with health-related issues, and just about anyone interested in public health. Session topics will include using new media, advancing health literacy, translating during emergencies, designing effective messages, and communicating with diverse populations.
Price: $400 for NPHIC members, $500 for nonmembers
Website: http://www.nphic.org/conference2008.aspx
Contact: 770-509-5555 or lespino@nphic.org
Sunday through Wednesday, October 5 - 8, 2008
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
at the SulAmérica Convention Center, Avenida Paulo de Frontin, numero 1, Cidade Nova
Sponsor: Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health (ENSP/FIOCRUZ) and Distance Education Network Consortium (CREAD)
Beyond civil and political rights, the concept of citizenship now presupposes an interrelationship with values like ethics, social equality, democracy, justice, and human dignity. This vision, consistent with the contemporary concept of health, is materialized through access to education, cultural goods, leisure, and work.
Price: see http://www.cread2008.com.br/english/inscricoes/index.php
Website: http://www.cread2008.com.br/english/index.php
Contact: Método Eventos, 55-21-25485141 or to send an email, see http://www.cread2008.com.br/english/fale/index.php
Monday and Tuesday, October 6 - 7, 2008
Corvallis, Oregon
at LaSells Stewart Center, OSU Campus
Sponsor: Oregon Public Health Association and others; see http://www.oregonpublichealth.org/ for a complete list
This will be two days of education, networking and looking towards the future. There will be a scientific poster session set for early Monday evening, plus the OPHA annual business meeting, section meetings, awards and elections.
Price: see http://www.oregonpublichealth.org/OPHA_2008.doc
Website: http://www.oregonpublichealth.org/
Tuesday October 7, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
at the Holiday Inn Santa Fe, 4048 Cerrillos Road
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
This course provides participants with an overview of key chemistry concepts associated with environmental contamination and provides a foundation for understanding contaminant transport and fate. This material is intended for environmental professionals who are not chemists but who require a fundamental understanding of chemistry principles for their work. This course is recommended for all environmental professionals working with contaminated soil and water with minimal formal training in the subject. It is also recommended for project managers seeking a review of the subject. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $250, $195 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify.
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/chem-403a_10-08_santa_fe.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Tuesday October 7, 2008
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Sponsor: The John Merck Fund through the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Environmental Health Initiative
Daniel A. Axelrad will lead this discussion. More information will be available at the website below.
Price: free
Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Contact: Laura Abulafia, 800-424-3688 or Laura@aaidd.org
Tuesday through Thursday, October 7 - 9, 2008
Chicago, Illinois
at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 East Wacker Drive
Sponsor: US Environmental Protection Agency: National Center for Environmental Research
Nanomaterials present new opportunities to improve our ability to detect, monitor, control and clean up environmental pollutants and contaminants and potential new risks to human health and the environment. The conference will bring together researchers and practitioners from around the world to discuss the nanotechnology applications for remediation of environmental contaminants, the implications of releasing manufactured nanoparticles into the environment, and pollution control and nano-enabled sensing.
Price: $475
Website: http://emsus.com/nanotechconf/
Contact: Dr. Warren Layne, 312-886-7336 or layne.warren@epa.gov
Tuesday through Thursday, October 7 - 9, 2008
8:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Honolulu, Hawaii
at the Pagoda Hotel, 1525 Rycroft Street, C'est Si Bon Makai Room
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
This course provides an overview that will cover the basic terms, concepts and logic that underlie modern scientific sampling. Much of the class will be devoted to the understanding of how to apply the basic concepts of probability to sampling problems and how to use probability to measure the effectiveness of the sampling process. We will discuss the difference between purposive and random sampling and discuss why random sampling (and its many variations) is so frequently used in manufacturing, science and government. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $595, $495 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/stat-403_10-08_honolulu.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Thursday and Friday, October 9 - 10, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Entrix Inc. Conference Room, 200 First Avenue West, Suite 500
Sponsor: The Northwest Environmental Training Center
Triple bottom line reporting is emerging as an important and necessary part of an organization's disclosure. Two main issues addressed are 1) what a triple bottom line report is and 2) the areas addressed in a triple bottom line report. The first issue involves establishing an understanding of the triple bottom line and a structure for accountability. The second issue deals with identifying boundaries, a methodology for reporting and development of an understanding of the issues around subject areas in reporting. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $320 business rate, $275 government rate, $220 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/sust-404_10-08_seattle.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976 or info@nwetc.org
Thursday through Saturday, October 9 - 11, 2008
Alexandria, Minnesota
at the Lake Geneva Christian Center
Sponsor: National Council of Churches of Christ
This ecumenical gathering of denominational staff, clergy, seminarians, lay leaders, church educators, ecojustice coordinators and Christians will learn about the unfolding world of toxics found in everyday items in our homes, our churches and even our bodies.
Price: see http://www.nccecojustice.org/downloads/Final%20Registration%20Form%20EH.pdf
Website: http://www.nccecojustice.org/mnconf.htm
Contact: Carl Magruder, carl@ncc.ecojustice.org carl@ncc.ecojustice.org
Online Calendar. Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.iceh.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
New Members. The Partnership for Children's Health and the Environment welcomes these new members:
For a searchable database with a wealth of information about PCHE members, please visit the PCHE website: http://www.partnersforchildren.org/members.html
Job opening, Portland, Oregon. Josiah Hill Clinic seeks a full-time program coordinator in environmental health, one of two staff positions within this small, local nonprofit. This position leads and supports project delivery in the Portland Metro area. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator that is skilled at multitasking and thrives in a fast-paced grassroots environment. The coordinator develops/updates culturally appropriate trainings on green cleaning and healthy homes, conducts healthy home checkups/indoor air quality assessments, conducts outreach at community events and fairs, and performs other tasks. A bachelors degree and three years of related professional experience are required. To apply, please email a cover letter, resume and three references to erin@jhillclinic.org Please list Program Coordinator in the subject line. The application deadline is Friday September 19th, 2008.
http://www.jhillclinic.org/
Job opening, Eugene, Oregon. The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) seeks a dynamic leader to work with our energetic and committed staff and board to continue and expand our efforts to protect the health of people and the environment in the Pacific Northwest by advancing alternatives to pesticides. Our ideal candidate is a skilled communicator and visionary with significant fundraising and nonprofit experience who can take on the multiple tasks required to lead an established nonprofit organization. The executive director is a full-time, professional staff person whose primary responsibility is to manage the operation and growth of the organization. Contact Karen Murphy: kmurphy@pesticide.org Application period closes on September 24, 2008, for a position to start in January 2009.
http://www.pesticide.org/jobs.html
"Poisoned Profits" published. In this book, journalists Alice Shabecoff and Philip Shabecoff directly and definitively link industrial toxins to the current rise in childhood disease and death.
http://www.poisonedprofits.com/index.php
Call for papers: Climate changes health. The International Journal of Public Health encourages the submission of research papers addressing the relationships between public health and climate change. Of particular interest are works related to monitoring health implications and mitigating effects of climate change, the detection of early signs of climate-change impact on public health, and methodological advancements related to the subject. The closing date for submissions is November 30, 2008.
http://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/IJPH_CfP_Künzli_Closing_30.11.2008.doc?SGWID=0-0-45-601099-0
Funding opportunity: Novel Approaches for Assessing Exposure for School-Aged Children in Longitudinal Studies. EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program is soliciting applications proposing research to develop and evaluate novel, innovative approaches for classifying exposure for children two to less than 11 years of age to toxic chemicals in their environment for use in large-scale longitudinal exposure assessment and epidemiological studies. Applications are due November 18, 2008.
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2008/2008_star_novelapproaches.html
National Children's Study launches newly redesigned national website. In preparation for the start of recruitment, the National Children's Study has launched a new national website with enhanced content, new sections, and an updated look and feel. The study redesigned its website to communicate new and updated information to its numerous key stakeholders, the largest of which will be its participants, and to better represent the progress it has made to date.
http://www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov
State Environmental Health Legislation Database updated for 2008. The National Conference of State Legislatures has updated its database on state legislation related to environmental health for 2008. The database covers legislation on issues affecting environmental health including asbestos, asthma, biomonitoring, children's environmental health, indoor air quality, lead, mercury, outdoor air quality, pesticides, toxics, tracking and surveillance.
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/environ/envhealth/cehdb.cfm
Parents demand lead risk guide after water scare. Parent groups have called for the swift distribution of a lead poisoning symptoms guide so they can check whether children have suffered from contaminated school tank water. Sydney Daily Telegraph, Australia, 9 September 2008.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24314169-5006009,00.html
Aging: Lack of B12 linked to brain shrinkage. Low levels of the vitamin B12 may lead to a reduction in brain volume. New York Times, 9 September 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/health/09agin.html
Lung cancer doesn't spare nonsmokers. What causes the disease in nonsmokers is not known, though researchers suspect genetic susceptibility combined with exposure to cancer-causing substances like asbestos, radon, certain solvents and other people's tobacco smoke. Associated Press, 9 September 2008.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/LIFESTYLE03/809090314/1040
Using mobiles during pregnancy 'increases risk of child's behavioural problems.' Women who use mobile phones while they are pregnant increase the chances of giving birth to children with behavioural problems by 80 per cent, it has been claimed. London Daily Telegraph, England, 8 September 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2700266/Using-mobiles-during-pregnancy-increases-risk-of-childs-behavioural-problems.html
Los Angeles port, truckers group head for court. The American Trucking Association is seeking to block a program that aims to improve air quality by replacing old, exhaust-spewing trucks with newer, cleaner models on grounds it imposes intrusive regulatory systems on motor carrier rates and services. Los Angeles Times, California, 8 September 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-trucks8-2008sep08,0,4918867.story
Certain flame retardants may make us sick. A common group of flame retardants used since the 1970s and credited with saving lives [PBDEs] is proving to be a pervasive contaminant in the environment that may be harmful to human health. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania, 8 September 2008.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/health_science/daily/20080908_Certain_flame_retardants_may_make_us_sick.html
Firefighters face greater cancer risk. Firefighters are at least twice as likely to get cancer as the average person because of exposure to toxins emitted in fires, such as benzene, asbestos and cyanide, studies say. Spokane Spokesman-Review, Washington, 8 September 2008.
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=16493
Avoid toxic cleaning products in your home. While much of the research is mixed or inconclusive, a variety of human and animal studies have linked chemicals common in household cleaning products with a wide range of health risks. The Daily Green, 8 September 2008.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/intro-green-cleaners-460908
Movement wants fewer PVC office products. It's part of nearly every back-to-school shopping list: the colorful, durable three-ring vinyl binder. But it may not be on those lists in the future. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 7 September 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/06/BUIS12MQCD.DTL
Women warned of herbal remedies risk in pregnancy. Thousands of pregnant women could be risking the health of their unborn babies by taking herbal remedies without knowing the risks. Edinburgh Scotsman, Scotland, 7 September 2008.
http://news.scotsman.com/health/Women-warned-of-herbal-.4466412.jp
Pollution blamed for making kids fat. Pollution is now being blamed for making children obese, following new research carried out in Spain. Australian Associated Press, 7 September 2008.
http://news.theage.com.au/world/pollution-blamed-for-making-kids-fat-20080907-4bfa.html
L.A. residents ferret out toxic sites for researchers. A cadre of San Fernando Valley residents have begun to catalog the location of industrial businesses and their proximity to gathering places for young and elderly residents, who could be most affected by contamination. Los Angeles Times, California, 7 September 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pollute7-2008sep07,0,7047992.story
State finds 7 pesticides in Oregon groundwater. Seven pesticides have been identified in Oregon groundwater or streams that could pose a risk to human or environmental health. Associated Press, 7 September 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-26/122073414936820.xml&storylist=orlocal
New York Governor signs renters notification law. State Assemblywoman Donna A. Lupardo and state Sen. Thomas W. Libous tried to get two previous governors to approve a measure that would warn tenants about indoor air contamination. Gov. David Paterson signed the bill into law today. Binghamton Press Sun-Bulletin, New York, 6 September 2008.
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/NEWS01/809050380/1001
Great Lakes pollution can't be tied to health woes, review finds. After a six-month study, an independent review panel said a 2007 report that warned nine million people living in the Great Lakes were at risk from contaminated sites in and near the lakes was flawed. Detroit Free Press, Michigan, 6 September 2008.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/NEWS06/80905040/1008/NEWS06
FDA to list drugs being investigated. The Food and Drug Administration will begin posting every three months a list of drugs whose safety is under investigation because of complaints brought to the agency's attention by drug companies, physicians and patients. Washington Post, 6 September 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/05/AR2008090503409.html
Long-term ills tied to bad food. The CDC estimates there are 76 million cases of food-borne disease in the United States annually. The vast majority of people experience it only as an unpleasant bout of diarrhea or abdominal pain, though an estimated 5,000 to 9,000 Americans die each year from food poisoning. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia, 6 September 2008.
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/stories/2008/09/04/health_food_illness.html
Oil refineries underestimate release of emissions, study says. It is likely that all refineries in Canada and the United States are seriously undercounting emissions because they follow an estimating protocol developed by the American Petroleum Institute and the US EPA. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 6 September 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080906.POLLUTANTS06/TPStory/Environment
Schoolchildren at risk from toxic chemical dust on whiteboards, scientists warn. Young pupils are being exposed to a cocktail of chemicals at levels which are higher than those found in homes, offices or cars, researchers found. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 5 September 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1052717/Schoolchildren-risk-toxic-chemical-dust-whiteboards-scientists-warn.html
Fire retardant chemical found in children. A fire retardant chemical [PBDEs] used in electronics, toys and furniture has been detected in children's blood at triple the levels found in their mothers, the Environmental Working Group reported on Thursday. Reuters, 5 September 2008.
http://www.ewg.org/node/27076
Daily ibuprofen may cause heart risks: study. Ibuprofen may raise the risk of heart attacks and other fatal and serious problems when elderly people take it daily for arthritis, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday. Reuters Health, 5 September 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/09/04/eline/links/20080904elin025.html
Why mercury tuna is still legal. The Bush FDA helped industry suppress the bad news about mercury. Still want fish for dinner? Mother Jones, 4 September 2008.
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/09/exit-strategy-tuna-surprise.html
Study finds no autism link in vaccine. A common vaccine given to children to protect them against measles, mumps and rubella is not linked to autism, a study concludes, contradicting earlier research. Washington Post, 4 September 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090303396.html
Chemical in plastic is connected to health problems in monkeys. Researchers have linked bisphenol A, a chemical found in plastic, to problems with brain function and mood disorders in monkeys -- the first time the chemical has been connected to health problems in primates. Washington Post, 4 September 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090303397.html
The chemistry of beauty. What's in all those beauty products? The truth isn't pretty. Sacramento News and Review, California, 4 September 2008.
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=721266
Bisphenol-A in plastics could harm you. Two weeks after the Food and Drug Administration declared the controversial plastics chemical bisphenol-A safe, the National Toxicology Program has finalized its very different conclusion. The Daily Green, 4 September 2008.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bisphenol-a-47090306
Suits filed over lead in artificial turf. Six artificial-turf companies are breaking state law by not warning the public of exposure to dangerous amounts of lead from the fake green grass. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 3 September 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/03/BAK012MTOM.DTL
Schoolchildren show addiction to caffeine. Schoolchildren have been showing signs of caffeine addiction after consuming energy drinks such as Red Bull, health campaigners have cautioned. London Times, England, 3 September 2008.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article4663859.ece
Breast cancer drug not tied to cognitive decline. Contrary to previous study results, the cancer prevention drug anastrozole does not appear to cause impairment of cognitive performance, a new study found. HealthDay News, 3 September 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=618974
Depression in schoolchildren linked to low birth weights. Children are more likely to experience psychiatric difficulties during their school years if they are underweight at birth, scientists have found. London Guardian, England, 2 September 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/sep/02/psychology.children
Lack of testing puts children at risk for lead. Health inspectors can't legally enter a home or test for lead unless a child there has been poisoned. Springfield News-Sun, Ohio, 2 September 2008.
http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/09/02/sns090208leadpaintinside.html
The real health effects of hurricane Gustav. Hurricane Gustav has landed in Louisiana and Dr. Manny Alavarez, detailed Monday morning the short- and long-term health effects that residents will face in the aftermath. Fox News, 2 September 2008.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,414562,00.html
Australians reach for organic alternatives. Australians are turning in ever increasing numbers to organic food as worried consumers become more aware of the health and environmental benefits of chemical-free fruit and vegetables. Abu Dhabi National, UAE, 2 September 2008.
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080901/FOREIGN/555587690/1015/NEWS&Profile=1015
Long-term ills tied to bad food. Over the past decade, as medical experts have sought out the source of certain chronic illnesses, they have increasingly found links to episodes of food poisoning. Washington Post, 2 September 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/29/AR2008082902519.html
Tackling toxins. Despite how hard it might seem to stay safe and healthy, a few small steps can go a long way. St. Joseph News-Press, Missouri, 2 September 2008.
http://www.stjoenews.net/news/2008/sep/02/tackling-toxins/?diem
Maine's anti-smoking law for cars kicks in. On Monday, Maine joins other U.S. states and Canadian provinces that have made it illegal to smoke in a car while children are present. Canadian Press, 1 September 2008.
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ibbWd7_szC6DGrJ9HrcQU_RKMWNw
'Gender bending' chemicals found in beer and wine. Worried about eating too much "gender-bending" soya? It turns out a host of other foods also contain high levels of oestrogen-like chemicals, including beer, wine and roasted peanuts. New Scientist, England, 1 September 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14627-gender-bending-chemicals-found-in-beer-and-wine.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news2_head_dn14627
Dengue reborn: Widespread resurgence of a resilient vector. In less than two decades, dengue -- once a well-controlled disease -- has reemerged with a vengeance, with epidemics following the Aedes mosquito vectors as they travel into new habitat. Environmental Health Perspectives, 1 September 2008.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-9/focus.html
Women warned not to wear perfume during pregnancy. Pregnant women have been advised to avoid using perfumes or scented body creams after research suggested the products can cause unborn boys to suffer infertility or cancer in later life. Edinburgh Scotsman, Scotland, 31 August 2008.
http://news.scotsman.com/health/Women-warned--not-to.4443471.jp
Exposure to lead speeds aging by up to six years. Millions of people will grow old faster than they should because of past exposures to lead in petrol, a startling series of studies indicates. London Independent, England, 31 August 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/exposure-to-lead-speeds-ageing-by-up-to-six-years-913917.html
DEQ, Brown support ban on flame retardant. A long-awaited report from a state Department of Environmental Quality panel supports a ban on "deca-BDE," the only remaining commercial type of the flame retardant, which has been linked to cancer and other health problems in humans and laboratory animals. Bay City Times, Michigan, 31 August 2008.
http://blog.mlive.com/watershedwatch/2008/08/deq_brown_support_ban_on_flame.html
Sierra Club opposes plant. Clean power or major polluter? Job creator or health threat? The debate over those questions has raged for almost a year and a half since plans were unveiled for a massive tires-to-energy plant in east Erie, Pennsylvania. Erie Times-News, Pennsylvania, 31 August 2008.
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080831/NEWS02/808310374/-1/NEWS
Public involvement usually leads to better environmental decision making. When done correctly, public participation improves the quality of federal agencies' decisions about the environment, says a new report from the National Research Council. Science Daily, 31 August 2008.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080822120140.htm
submitted to this bulletin by Marnie Boardman
Study: Women living in mercury's shadow. The nation's first region-by-region analysis of mercury in women's blood shows vast differences based on where they live, with the highest levels found in the Northeast. Chicago Tribune, Illinois, 30 August 2008.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-080830-mercury-women,0,5597039.story
Why a recall is no simple matter. The Consumer Product Safety Commission faces a balancing act as it tries to get companies to recall products without putting them out of business, which leaves consumers with no remedy. Washington Post, 30 August 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/29/AR2008082903258.html
U.S. appeals court bars meatpacker tests for mad cow. The Agriculture Department is within bounds to bar meatpackers from testing slaughter cattle for mad cow disease, a U.S. Court of Appeals panel said in a 2-1 ruling on Friday. Reuters, 30 August 2008.
http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/08/29/2008-08-29T184401Z_01_N29284508_RTRIDST_0_USA-MADCOW-TESTS.html
Arsenic found in Twin Cities picnic tables. More often than not, when tested, wood picnic tables contain arsenic, chromium and copper. Minneapolis WCCO TV, Minnesota, 30 August 2008.
http://wcco.com/health/arsenic.picnic.tables.2.806356.html
Too good to waste? Reports that sludge from sewage plants is routinely used to fertilise edible crops have caused outrage. Is this simply a prudent use of so-called 'biosolids' or a grave threat to our health? London Guardian, England, 29 August 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/29/waste.recycling
The price of being well. Is it time for a new paradigm for health and development? A heavyweight panel with an egalitarian ideology claims to have found one. Economist, 29 August 2008.
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12009974
Calif. bill sets limits on DuPont chemical. Lawmakers in California have voted to limit the amount of a controversial DuPont-produced chemical in food-packaging products. Wilmington News Journal, Delaware, 29 August 2008.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/BUSINESS/808290336
Heated seats may be frying your sperm. Heated car seats may keep your bottom nice and toasty, but beware: if you're male, they could also be frying your vital equipment. New Scientist, England, 28 August 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/sex/mg19926714.700-heated-seats-may-be-frying-your-sperm.html
Hot dogs spark patriotism row in US. An advertising campaign linking hot dogs with colonic cancer in children has prompted a heated debate about an American cultural icon. London Daily Telegraph, England, 28 August 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2633467/Hot-dogs-spark-patriotism-row-in-US.html
Just how harmful are bisphenol A plastics? Patricia Hunt, a geneticist, discovered that a single breach in protocol had turned the safe environs for her laboratory mice into acutely toxic habitats. Her unnerving discovery, in 1998, led her to speak out on the possible human health threats of BPA. Scientific American, 28 August 2008.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=just-how-harmful-are-bisphenol-a-plastics
Contamination threatens health, environment, and economy. According to the feature article in the latest issue of UC Berkeley's Health Research for Action Perspectives, public health officials are struggling with the dilemma between promoting consumption of high-protein fish and safeguarding the public from the growing risk of seafood contamination. University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health News, 27 August 2008.
http://sph.berkeley.edu/news/2008/hra_fish.html
"Autistic" mice may help study genetics of the disorder. Researchers have found all the signs of autism in a strain of noisy laboratory mice that are used to diagnose human beings, a finding that may help them study the complicated genetics of the disorder. Asian News International, South Asia, 27 August 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/autistic-mice-may-help-study-genetics-of-the-disorder_10089124.html
Study finds toxins in some herbal medicines. Traditional herbal supplements used by thousands of Americans may contain dangerously high levels of lead and other toxins, a study shows. USA Today, 27 August 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-08-26-ayurvedic-medicines_N.htm
Panic in the lunch box. First it was peanut butter on the endangered sandwich list. Then tinned albacore tuna. Now it's cold cuts, benched by the continuing listeriosis crisis. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 27 August 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080827.wlunch27/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
[Editor's note: see a September 2nd update on this issue at http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=nw20080829072543766C918529 ]
EPA's sluggish response. Pesticides known as pyrethrins and pyrethroids, long considered "safe," have exploded in popularity over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, so has the number of reported poisonings from exposures to these chemicals. Hartford Courant, Connecticut, 27 August 2008.
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-epa.artaug27,0,268297.story
