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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.
Online Calendar. With a large number of events listed in the coming month, you may prefer to use our online calendar to search by location, by type of event and by other criteria: http://www.iceh.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are also listed.
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
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
Friday through Sunday, September 26 - 28, 2008
Charlotte, North Carolina
at the Charlotte Convention Center, 501 South College Street
Sponsor: Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet; to see the complete list, see the website below.
This is a green expo with a focus on how to raise healthy children in a toxic world. Presentations and exhibits include how to prevent and many times reverse conditions like allergies, asthma, ADHD and autism using natural methods; how to identify and get rid of toxins in the home and school; safer vaccine schedules to minimize problems from a pediatrician's perspective; and much more.
Price: see http://registration.sokhop.com/
Website: http://www.sokhop.com/
Contact: Maureen McDonnell, RN, 828-689-8600
Saturday September 27, 2008
Hosted Social at 5:00 p.m., Dinner and Program at 6:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at South Seattle Community College Brockman Center
Sponsor: Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility
The keynote speaker will be Ramsey Clark, former attorney general of the United States under President Lyndon Johnson and outspoken advocate for civil liberties and civil rights. He strongly opposed the bombing of Hanoi during the Vietnam War and opposed the invasion of Iraq, later calling for the impeachment of President GW Bush for war crimes. A staunch believer in the rule of law, Clark has served as defense attorney in the trials of Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein. He was a recipient of the Gandhi Peace Award and the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award.
Price: $75
Website: http://www.wpsr.org/
Contact: WPSR, 206-547-2630
Tuesday and Wednesday, September 30 - October 1, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days
Seattle, Washington
at the Northwest Environmental Training Center Headquarters, 650 South Orcas Street, Suite 220
Sponsor: The Northwest Environmental Training Center
This course provides participants with an overview of QA/QC management of analytical data. It is intended for environmental professionals who require a basic understanding of QA/QC methodologies for managing the integrity of laboratory analytical data. The course includes some hands-on data-screening exercises to apply the course concepts to real-world scenarios. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify.
Website: http://nwetc.org/chem-404_09-08_seattle.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976 or info@nwetc.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. Eastern time
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
There is a growing trend of governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations issuing triple bottom line reports. Accountability for environmental, social and economic impacts of a company is increasingly becoming a part of every manager or governmental official's job. However, there is much uncertainty and inconsistency in the field. 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
Saturday October 11, 2008
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at Collins Hall, First United Methodist Church, 1838 SW Jefferson
Sponsor: Rachel's Friends Breast Cancer Coalition
The keynote speaker will be Nena Baker, author of The Body Toxic: How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens our Health and Well-being.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.rachelsfriends.org:80/events.html
Contact: Diane Lund-Muzikant at 503-869-7225 or muzikant@aol.com
Sunday through Thursday, October 12 - 16, 2008
Pasadena, California
at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 East Green Street
Sponsor: International Society for Environmental Epidemiology and International Society of Exposure Analysis; for the complete list see http://secure.awma.org/events/isee-isea/sponsor.htm
Join with participants from around the world to exchange ideas about exposure, health and epidemiology in our global environment. Topics include global transport of pollution; epidemiological studies of population health disparities; differential impacts of environmental hazards and risks in developing and industrial societies; changing patterns of exposures and diseases; and much more.
Price: unknown
Website: http://secure.awma.org/events/isee-isea/index.htm
Sunday through Thursday, October 12 - 16, 2008
Rochester, New York
at the Hyatt Regency & URMC
Sponsor: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and others; see the complete list at http://www.neurotoxicology.com/conf2008/Sponsorship.pdf
The conference theme is "Environmental Etiologies of Neurological Disorders: Scientific, Translational and Policy Implications."
Price: see http://www.neurotoxicology.com/conf2008/registration.pdf
Website: http://www.neurotoxicology.com/conf2008/conference.htm
Contact: Dr. Joan Cranmer, Conference Chair, CranmerJoanM@uams.edu
Sunday through Friday, October 12 - 17, 2008
Burlington, Vermont
at the University of Vermont's Davis Center
Sponsor: North American Hazardous Materials Management Association
The focus for the 23rd annual Hazardous Materials Management Association Conference is on household and small business waste. Tracts include: school chemicals clean out training; hidden hazards in two business sectors training; cleaning up our industrial past; and more.
Price: see http://www.nahmma.org/displayconvregister.cfm?convnbr=5571
Website: http://www.nahmma.org/displayconvspecific.cfm?convnbr=5571
Contact: North American Hazardous Materials Management Association, 877-292-1403 or nahmma@imigroup.org
Tuesday October 14, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Pasadena, California
at All Saint's Church, 132 North Euclid Avenue
Sponsor: Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, All Saints Church, Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy, Healthy Homes Collaborative, Black Women for Wellness, Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education, Maternal and Child Health Access, LA Best Babies Network, and the Institute for Children's Environmental Health
In Poisoned Profits: the Toxic Assault on Our Children, journalists Alice Shabecoff and Philip Shabecoff directly and definitively link industrial toxins to the current rise in childhood disease and death. The book was researched and written under the sponsorship of PSR-LA's sister chapter, Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility (GBPSR). Discussion of the evening will include how climate change will impact children's environmental health, the corporatization of scientific/environmental health research, and how to move the market and hold government accountable. Policy advocacy opportunities regarding climate change, chemical policy reform and pesticides will also be presented. Please RSVP.
Price: free
Website: http://www.psrla.org/calendar.htm
Contact: Ana, 213-689-9170 or amascarenas@psrla.org
Wednesday and Thursday, October 15 - 16, 2008
Deira, Dubai United Arab Emirates
at the Al Nahdha Center for Consultation and Training
Sponsor: Ishara
The conference is intended to produce a blueprint of action to help governments and educational institutions design curricula, evolve interventional methods and build up training resources to address the problems of underachievers. We offer opportunities to the delegates to interact with specialists, initiate dialogue and network in order to harness the current knowledge and practices in this field.
Price: US $700
Website: http://www.isharaonline.com/ld/index.htm
Contact: Ishara, 971-4-295-5581 or info@isharaonline.com
Wednesday through Friday, October 15 - 17, 2008
at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre, 21 Mounts Bay Road
Sponsor: Government of Western Australia Department of Health
This third annual conference will revolve around six strategic directions: healthy workforce, healthy hospitals, healthy partnerships, healthy communities, healthy resources and healthy leadership. This year's event will particularly focus on three of these -- communities, workforce and leadership -- in keeping with the theme of the conference. The challenges of improving lifestyles, preventing ill health, meeting workforce demands and promoting strong leadership will affect us all and will shape health care into the future.
Price: see http://www.wahealthconference.health.wa.gov.au/registration/registration.cfm
Website: http://www.wahealthconference.health.wa.gov.au/home/index.cfm
Contact: Conference Event Management Coordinator, 08-9222-4046 or wahealthconference@health.wa.gov.au
Friday through Sunday, October 17 - 19, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, 800 Convention Place
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Education Council
Now in it's 19th year, Bioneers brings together some of the world's most renowned and innovative people to present their ideas and experiences. They speak to a well-educated, interested and progressive audience willing to discuss solutions to current environmental and social-justice issues. This conference features a live satellite downlink of the Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California, for each of the morning plenary sessions.
Price: see http://nweec.org/seattlebioneers/register.php?form=attend
Website: http://nweec.org/seattlebioneers/about-seattle_bioneers.php
Contact: Northwest Environmental Education Council, 206-923-1980
Saturday October 18, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Mahwah, New Jersey
at the Sheraton Crossroads
Sponsor: Holistic Moms Network
This promises to be a day to become informed and empowered, to renew your passion for holistic health and green living, and to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the founding of the Holistic Moms Network community. Featured speakers are Barbara Loe Fisher, founder of the National Vaccine Information Center presenting "Vaccines & Chronic Illness: Staying Well in the New Epidemic" and Annie B. Bond, author and environmentalist, presenting "Ease Your Mind: Easy Tips for a Green and Healthy Home."
Price: $85 for members, $100 for nonmembers
Website: http://annualconference.holisticmoms.org:80/
Contact: Holistic Moms Network, 877-HOL-MOMS
Saturday through Wednesday, October 18 - 22, 2008
Albuquerque, New Mexico
at the Radisson Hotel Albuquerque, 2500 Carlisle Boulevard Northeast
Sponsor: New Mexico Environmental Health Association
The goals of this conference are to provide the finest professional development courses and the latest cutting-edge technology to individuals and organizations at an affordable registration fee, and to bring together people and organizations from as many diverse backgrounds as possible and to foster lasting partnerships in solving environmental health problems facing the entire community. Continuing education credits are available. More information will be available at the website below.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.nmehc.net/
Contact: Lorie Stoller, 505-768-2718 or nmehc@swcp.com
Monday through Wednesday, October 20 - 22, 2008
Destin, Florida
at the Pelican Beach Resort, 1002 Highway 98 East
Sponsor: Deep South Center for Occupational Health & Safety
For more information, please contact Gigi Talley.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.neha.org/events.shtml
Contact: Gigi Talley, GTalley@ms.soph.uab.edu
Tuesday October 21, 2008
Indianapolis, Indiana
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." This meeting's topic is titled "Agricultural 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 15-20 minutes of open public comment.
Price: unknown
Contact: Shelby Gonzalez, shelby@healthandenvironment.org
Wednesday October 22, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the Audubon Society of Portland, 5151 Northwest Cornell Road, Heron Hall
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_portland.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Thursday October 23, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Springfield, Illinois
at Prairie Heart Institute, St. John's Hospital, 619 East Mason Street
Sponsor: Illinois Lead Program and St. John's Hospital Foundation
The objective of this conference is to empower attendees to examine ways to utilize legislators, health advocates, community health educators and lead industry contractors to reduce incidents of environmentally-related illnesses through public education, community outreach and safe work practices. Conference sessions will explore the correlation between the home environment and children's health issues, focusing primarily on exposure to lead poisoning and home toxicants and the short- and long-term outcomes of children's health as a result of these exposures. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=82d9269b-b34e-4dda-ba16-d1bf620ae2fe
Contact: Vicky Ritz, vicky.ritz@illinois.gov
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Job opening, Bolinas, California. Commonweal is seeking an experienced and creative leader to fill the position of executive director. Commonweal has a capable staff of 30 and highly-regarded programs for cancer patients, health-care professionals, environmental health, ocean policy reform, juvenile-justice reform, permaculture gardening, adult education and more. The candidate must have at least five years of high-level nonprofit experience, strong leadership skills, demonstrated fundraising skills, a strong grasp of fiscal management, and excellent writing and speaking skills. Common sense, kindness and a sense of humor are essential. Start date is immediate.
http://www.commonweal.org/EDjobdescription
LDDI Policy Consensus Statement released. Last week, the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative, a working group of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment coordinated by PCHE member ICEH, published its new Policy Implications Based on the Scientific Consensus Statement on Environmental Agents Associated with Neurodevelopmental Disorders. This statement, signed by almost 100 scientists, health professionals and advocates nationally and internationally, provides policy recommendations based on the latest science regarding environmental contaminants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disabilities and developmental delays. To read the full press release, the policy statement or the scientific consensus statement on which the policy was based, please visit the LDDI website.
http://www.iceh.org/LDDI.html
EPA report on climate change. "Analyses of the effects of global change on human health and welfare and human systems," a report by the US Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, focuses on impacts of global climate change, especially impacts on three broad dimensions of the human condition: human health, human settlements and human welfare.
http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-6/final-report/
Environmental Health News expands. Award-winning environmental journalist Marla Cone has been named editor-in-chief of Environmental Health News (EHN), which has expanded to provide its own journalistic content. EHN will produce its own articles, and the website's new format is designed to highlight the day's best stories.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Melamine in pesticides, human food chain -- experts. Melamine, a chemical that has tainted milk formula and made thousands of Chinese children ill, is used as an agricultural pesticide in China and may have been part of our food chain for a long time, experts said on Tuesday. Reuters, 23 September 2008.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HKG120043.htm
Nice prawns, shame about the chemical cocktail. Prawn farming is an ancient activity in tropical countries. But as Tiger or 'king' prawns have become a staple, the result has been ever-falling prices, increasing use of chemicals, and dropping quality. London Observer, England, 23 September 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/sep/21/fooddrinks.food
Acetaminophen linked to childhood asthma. Children given acetaminophen during the first year of life to reduce fever are more likely to develop asthma later on, a new study finds. HealthDay News, 23 September 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=619529
Quiet please. There is growing evidence that noise-related stress is a significant public health hazard. It causes sleep disturbance, raises blood pressure and can lead to heart disease. Small wonder then that noise is slowly inching up the political agenda. London Guardian, United Kingdom, 23 September 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/sep/23/healthandwellbeing.pollution
No tan is a safe tan. Ultraviolet rays -- no matter where you get them from -- cause skin cancer. The purported health benefits of UV rays, too, are overstated -- if not downright wrong. HealthDay News, 23 September 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=619485
WHO: Funding lack, climate change grave threats to public health. The outgoing head of the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Region identified health care financing and climate change as the two gravest threats facing countries in the Asia Pacific region. Manila Today, Philippines, 23 September 2008.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/23/08/who-funding-lack-climate-change-grave-threats-public-health
[Editor's note: See a related article at http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-09-19-voa50.cfm ]
Toilet trouble: Flushing meds contaminates water supplies. Fish in the Potomac River have ingested so many pharmaceuticals that males have developed eggs. And trace amounts of medications- have tainted the drinking water of at least 46 million Americans. Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, 23 September 2008.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10529094
EPA unlikely to limit perchlorate in tap water. The Environmental Protection Agency, under pressure from the White House and the Pentagon, is poised to rule as early as today that it will not set a drinking-water safety standard for perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel. Washington Post, 22 September 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102352.html?sub=AR
Atrazine found in lakes far from farm sources. The widely used weed-killer atrazine is showing up in pristine lakes in northern Minnesota far from farm country, and scientists believe the chemical is falling out of the sky. Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota, 22 September 2008.
http://www.startribune.com/local/29171259.html
Mom's prenatal stress tied to child's brain power. Children whose mothers were exposed to even moderately severe stress during pregnancy may show the effects in their intellectual development, a new study suggests. Reuters Health, 22 September 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/09/19/eline/links/20080919elin002.html
Lead soil in urban gardens. More Americans have started planting their own gardens in recent years. But it turns out a lot of urban gardens are contaminated with lead. Great Lakes Radio Consortium, Michigan, 22 September 2008.
http://www.environmentreport.org/story.php3?story_id=4174
New law for lead in toys. A new federal law is forcing toy manufacturers to get the lead out of children's products. Consumer advocates are cheering the tougher guidelines. Great Lakes Radio Consortium, Michigan, 22 September 2008.
http://www.environmentreport.org/story.php3?story_id=4171
Ancient, but how safe? The health industry has questions about metals like lead, mercury or arsenic being found in ayurvedic supplements. New York Times, 21 September 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/fashion/18skin.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Mobile phone use 'raises children's risk of brain cancer fivefold.' Children and teenagers are five times more likely to get brain cancer if they use mobile phones, startling new research indicates. London Independent, England, 21 September 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/mobile-phone-use-raises-childrens-risk-of-brain-cancer-fivefold-937005.html
Pregnancy supplements may trigger asthma in kids. The same vitamins and supplements that mothers-to-be take to protect their kids from birth defects could predispose children and even grandchildren to asthma. New Scientist, England, 21 September 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14767-pregnancy-supplements-may-trigger-asthma-in-kids.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news9_head_dn14767
State hopes to clean up buses. The pungent smell of diesel fumes sputtering from the back of the school bus is an all-too-familiar memory for generations of students. McAllen Monitor, Texas, 21 September 2008.
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/districts_17549___article.html/buses_school.html
Study links some antibiotic use to cerebral palsy. A once-used practice of giving antibiotics [erythromycin, co-amoxiclav] to some women at risk of premature birth may have increased the odds their children will develop cerebral palsy and other problems, British researchers said on Thursday. Reuters Health, 19 September 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/09/18/eline/links/20080918elin010.html
Dietary trans fatty acids may be linked to fetal loss. Trans fatty acids -- the much maligned "solid" fats implicated as artery-clogging contributors to cardiovascular disease -- may also increase the risk of fetal death during pregnancy, study findings suggest. Reuters Health, 19 September 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/09/18/eline/links/20080918elin001.html
Chelation study for autism called off. Federal officials have abandoned a proposed study of a controversial alternative therapy for autism, leaving parents who believe in the treatment disappointed and angry about the move. WebMD, 19 September 2008.
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20080918/chelation-study-autism-called-off
Baby paracetamol asthma concern. Use of paracetamol in babies increases the risk of developing asthma five years later, a study of more than 200,000 children suggests. Those given the painkiller for fever in the first year of life had a 46% increased risk of asthma by the age of six or seven, The Lancet reported. BBC, United Kingdom, 19 September 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7623230.stm
Potential environmental risks aren't part of chemical engineers' training. Chemists and chemical engineers have been taught everything they need to know about how to synthesize a substance or trigger a reaction. Yet most don't know the effects of chemicals on people or the environment. Los Angeles Times, California, 19 September 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-greenchemside19-2008sep19,0,772775.story
Exposure to contaminated sites linked to diabetes. Mushkegowuk First Nations are now researching health impacts resulting from long- term exposure to radar sites. Ontario Wawatay News, Ontario, 19 September 2008.
http://www.wawataynews.ca/archive/all/2008/9/18/Exposure-to-contaminated-sites-linked-to-diabetes_14151
FDA proposes approval process for genetically engineered animals. The FDA opened the way for a bevy of genetically engineered salmon, cows and other animals to leap from the laboratory to the marketplace, unveiling an approval process that would treat the modified creatures like drugs. Los Angeles Times, California, 19 September 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-genetic19-2008sep19,0,2808906.story
Medical journal demands inquiry. Canada's top medical journal is calling for a full-scale public inquiry into the listeriosis outbreak and says that Canada's epidemic of listeriosis in August was the worst in the world. Canwest News Service, Canada, 18 September 2008.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=a5de5dab-62aa-489f-a6a5-f2414bcabe4a
Researchers link BPA exposure to health concerns. In the first large-scale human study of the chemical, some found with bisphenol A in their urine had more than double the normal risk of heart disease and diabetes. Los Angeles Times, California, 17 September 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-bpa17-2008sep17,0,2912437.story
[Editor's note: See a related article with a response from the US Food & Drug Administration at http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MED_BISPHENOL_SAFETY?SITE=DCUSN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT ]
Chemicals around us pose a problem for youngest New Yorkers. Landrigan has worked to develop a field called environmental pediatrics, which seeks to protect kids from things like lead, pesticides, air pollution and plastics. New York Daily News, New York, 17 September 2008.
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2008/09/17/2008-09-17_chemicals_around_us_pose_a_problem_for_y.html
EPA ignoring children's health. The federal Environmental Protection Agency should be doing more to monitor and curb the effects of environmental hazards on children's health, according to a report released Tuesday by the Government Accountability Office. Salt Lake Deseret Morning News, Utah, 17 September 2008.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700259465,00.html
CDC campaign targets MRSA infections. A national campaign to teach parents how to protect kids from skin infections caused by dangerous MRSA bacteria was launched this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HealthDay News, 17 September 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=619199
[Editor's note: See a related article about new treatments for MRSA at http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=619228 ]
Workplaces allowed higher level of carcinogens. Workplace pollutants cause between 20,000 and 40,000 cancer deaths a year, yet the federal government has done surprisingly little to protect workers from these contaminants. Bergen County Record, New Jersey, 17 September 2008.
http://www.northjersey.com/health/Workplaces_allowed_higher_level_of_carcinogens.html
Coal plants, mines are biggest mercury polluters in NM. The New Mexico Environment Department has completed an inventory of mercury emissions in New Mexico for the year 2002 that indicates coal-fired power plants and mining are the largest sources of mercury pollution in the state. New Mexico Business Weekly, New Mexico, 17 September 2008.
http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/othercities/albuquerque/stories/2008/09/15/daily16.html
NIEHS invests $21.25 million to find environmental causes of Parkinson's Disease. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced today that it will award three new grants totaling $21.25 million over a five-year period to study how environmental factors contribute to the cause, prevention and treatment of Parkinson's disease and other related disorders. NIEHS, 16 September 2008.
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/releases/2008/parkinsons.cfm
Link found between environment, child disorders. Some of the modern products designed to make our lives easier, safer and cleaner may be threatening our health down the road. Seattle King 5 TV, Washington, 16 September 2008.
http://www.nwcn.com/health/stories/NW_091608ENVB_chemical_neurological_disorder_TP.8355eceb.html
10 ways global warming could hurt your health. Scientists all over the globe have observed changes that are impacting individuals' health--and have also created models to predict where we might be headed. US News & World Report, 16 September 2008.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2008/09/15/10-ways-global-warming-could-hurt-your-health.html
Latest school of thought on fish: Eat up! Pregnant women who eat fish are doing their children a favor, a new study shows. Researchers found that the more fish a woman eats, the better her infant's physical and cognitive abilities are. Washington Post, 16 September 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/12/AR2008091202924.html
The real story on organic dry-cleaning. In everything from fruit to furniture, consumers have a choice between conventional or organic goods. And increasingly, the option is available in dry cleaning. New York Sun, New York, 16 September 2008.
http://www.nysun.com/style/the-real-story-on-organic-dry-cleaning/85914/
Program targets toxic waste in schools. The Environmental Protection Agency says outdated and unknown chemicals found in schools can cause fires and explosions. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri, 15 September 2008.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stcharles/story/B91DCF3B98E3C6A3862574C50004C42C?OpenDocument
Chemicals in plastics impair development of sperm producing cells in babies. Scientists have found a chemical in plastics called MEHP that impairs the development of the reproductive organs of boys when they are exposed in the womb. Environmental Health News, 15 September 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/chemicals-in-plastics-impair-development-of-sperm-producing-cells-in-babies/
Vietnam vets face dangers decades later. Vietnam veterans exposed to the defoliant Agent Orange are twice as likely to contract prostate cancer as unexposed veterans, according to a study of 13,000 Northern California veterans conducted by University of California at Davis researchers. Environmental Health News, 15 September 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/vietnam-vets-face-dangers-decades-later
Health facilities flush estimated 250M pounds of drugs a year. U.S. hospitals and long-term care facilities annually flush millions of pounds of unused pharmaceuticals down the drain, pumping contaminants into America's drinking water. Associated Press, 15 September 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-09-14-drugs-flush-water_N.htm
Federal agencies start summit on healthy homes. The U.S. government is ramping up efforts to promote the building of healthy homes free of lead, chemicals, mold, moisture and pests. USA Today, 15 September 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-14-healthyhome_N.htm
A greener future. Innovations in designing green chemicals are emerging in nearly every U.S. industry, from plastics and pesticides to toys and nail polish. Some manufacturers are leading the charge, while others are lagging behind. Los Angeles Times, California, 14 September 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-greenchem14-2008sep14,0,2276532.story
Just how safe are these synthetic turf fields? The National Center for Environmental Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control, announced on Sept. 2 that independent testing has found high levels of lead in the products of more than a dozen turf companies. Monterey County Herald, California, 14 September 2008.
http://www.montereyherald.com/sports/ci_10462131?nclick_check=1
Safety agency blasted on rules. Thanks to the recently passed Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, strict new standards protecting children from dangerous toys and other products will take effect in February. Until then, retailers and manufacturers may take a lax position on enforcement. Chicago Tribune, Illinois, 13 September 2008.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat_cpscsep13,0,899193.story
Smoking during pregnancy shows mixed effects. Smoking during pregnancy appears to affect children's birthweight, and possibly their risk of becoming overweight, but it may not directly harm other aspects of physical and cognitive development, a large study suggests. Reuters Health, 13 September 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/09/12/eline/links/20080912elin001.html
New toxin discovered in S. Seattle neighborhood. Another dangerous toxin [dioxins] has shown up in a section of Seattle's South Park neighborhood that is already a Superfund site because of PCB contamination. Seattle King 5 TV, Washington, 13 September 2008.
http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/washington/stories/NW_091208WAB_toxin_seattle_neighborhood_KS.6ce3ae92.html
World wide web of pesticides can endanger consumers. Like books, cars and music, pesticides are available online more than ever, for purchase by both professional exterminators and unsuspecting consumers. Vendors and customers are now linked by a few clicks of the mouse, letting them circumvent regulations meant to protect people from harmful chemicals. US Center for Public Integrity, 12 September 2008.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/investigations/pesticides/articles/entry/703/
submitted to this bulletin by Steve Carpinelli
FDA issues warning on imported Chinese baby formula. Federal officials on Thursday warned consumers to avoid buying any infant formula imported from China -- citing reports of dozens of babies in that country who fell ill after drinking a brand called Sanlu. At least one death was reported. Los Angeles Times, California, 12 September 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-formula12-2008sep12,0,1479701.story
[Editor's note: see an update regarding other tainted milk products from China: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4790866.ece ]
People can trim cancer risks, expert says. Choosing where and how you live can make a difference, says University of Pittsburgh epidemiologist and environmental cancer expert Devra Davis. Anchorage Daily News, Alaska, 12 September 2008.
http://www.adn.com/life/story/523674.html
Study: soot-spewing ships pollute environment. Ocean freighters spew twice as much soot into the air as previously believed and tugboats are among the worst maritime offenders when it comes to air pollution, according to a new government study. Muskegon Chronicle, Michigan, 12 September 2008.
http://www.mlive.com/muskegon/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-15/1221057916304520.xml&coll=8
EPA to develop stricter standards for ocean water. Beachgoers will be told more about whether it's safe to go in the water under a court settlement between environmentalists and the EPA. Associated Press, 11 September 2008.
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/northwest/story/544836.html
Have you had a dose of toxins today? We are under siege by minuscule traces of sinister chemicals known as endocrine disruptors, whose cumulative damage is unknown -- but which probably are responsible for the soaring rates of cancer, autism, Alzheimer’s, obesity, infertility, misbehaving children, and other scourges of Western civilization. Lake Oswego Review, Oregon, 11 September 2008.
http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=122090794895274700
Congress to address dumping of sewage sludge. Consumer and food groups are taking their fight to Congress to put a stop to the dumping of toxic sewage sludge on U.S. farmland. Reuters, 11 September 2008.
http://www.stv.tv/articles/reuters/environment/Congress_to_address_dumping_of_sewage_sludge_132405
Money, health at center of fight over diesel rules. Looming regulations to curb diesel soot from a million trucks and school buses are certain to have enormous public health and financial impacts here while serving as a national model. Sacramento Capitol Weekly, California, 11 September 2008.
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_adctlid=v%7Cjq2q43wvsl855o%7Cxecyx6eozid0t7&issueId=xecbu8zmaxdti9&xid=xecczbhp8utvov
More asthma among those near 9/11 site. Adults who were near the World Trade Center around the time it was attacked in 2001 have been twice as likely to develop asthma as the general population, a new study has found. New York Times, 11 September 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/nyregion/11injuries.html
Are we screwing in the wrong bulbs? New research highlights a stark contradiction between two cherished green goals: fighting global warming and ridding the environment of toxic pollution [mercury]. Lake Oswego Review, Oregon, 11 September 2008.
http://www.lakeoswegoreview.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=122090777173654500
Information differs on effects of Scourge on humans. Scourge, the pesticide used by Nassau County, NY, to kill mosquitoes, is considered highly unlikely to have the same effect on humans, though the widely used concoction comes with lots of warnings and disclaimers. New York Newsday, New York, 11 September 2008.
http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-liscou125839405sep12,0,2370973.story
Ag-mart workers testify. On Wednesday, parents of a child born with no legs and arms said that they were repeatedly exposed to pesticides while working on a North Carolina tomato farm run by Ag-Mart. Raleigh News & Observer, North Carolina, 11 September 2008.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1214475.html
EPA releases 2007 TRI data. To better inform communities about releases of toxic chemicals from industrial facilities in their area, EPA announced the availability of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) facility-level data for 2007. TRI provides American communities with vital information on chemical releases including disposal of chemicals. In addition, TRI tracks releases of chemicals and industrial sectors specified by the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986. US Environmental Protection Agency, 10 September 2008.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/202736D44CDEA3E9852574C000523A20
High calcium levels during pregnancy reduces fetal exposure to lead. Women who consume high levels of daily calcium supplements during pregnancy show a marked reduction in lead levels in their blood, according to a new study. Asian News International, South Asia, 10 September 2008.
http://www.newslocale.org/health/hnews/high_calcium_levels_during_pregnancy_reduces_fetal_exposure_to_lead_200809105013.html
States battle pesticides in groundwater. Should we be worried about pesticides in groundwater contaminating the water we drink and the food we eat? ABC News, 10 September 2008.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/SmartHome/story?id=5753073&page=1
Climate inaction 'costing lives.' Failure to take urgent action to curb climate change is effectively violating the human rights of people in the poorest nations, an aid charity warns. BBC, United Kingdom, 10 September 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7605927.stm
2 million cancer cases tied to tobacco use. Lung and bronchial cancers accounted for almost half of the approximately 2.4 million tobacco-related cancers diagnosed in the US between 1999 and 2004, says a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. HealthDay News, 10 September 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=619111
