EPA National Awards Program Opportunity for Smart Growth Achievement The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be accepting nominations for its National Award for Smart Growth Achievement beginning on March 1, 2006. Applications will be accepted through May 1, 2006. The Awards program seeks to recognize public entities, including state governments, and many types of public entities that promote and achieve smart growth and achieve direct or indirect environmental benefits. Smart growth development practices support national environmental goals by preserving open spaces and parkland and protecting critical habitat; improving transportation choices, including walking, biking, and transit, which reduce emissions from cars; promoting brownfields redevelopment; and reducing impervious surfaces; which improves water quality. For more information see http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards.htm.
EPA Aging Initiative Publications for Older Adults and their Caregivers
The EPA Aging Initiative has prepared fact sheets and posters for older adults and their caregivers that address environmental health hazards. These materials outline the simple but important steps that can be taken to reduce exposure to environmental hazards and improve the health of older adults. Environmental hazards can contribute to heart disease and stroke. Heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, and stroke, the third, cost the nation billions in health care spending each year and much suffering.
The fact sheet “Environmental Hazards Weigh Heavy on the Heart” describes the environmental hazards that can worsen these diseases, including indoor and outdoor air pollution, smoke from tobacco, household products, extreme heat, and lead and arsenic in drinking water. Steps that older adults can take to limit their exposure or the exposure of loved ones are included in the fact sheet.
More than two million Americans age 65 and older have asthma. Eleven million Americans, many of them over age 65, live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. This fact sheet and poster entitled “Age Healthier, Breathe Easier” outline simple steps that older adults with these respiratory diseases can take to reduce and control the frequency of their symptoms.
During an average summer, approximately 1,500 people die from excessive heat events in the United Sates. Most victims are 65 and older. The fact sheet “It’s Too Darn Hot: Planning for Excessive Heat Events” discusses ways for older adults to reduce exposure to excessive heat and measures that local governments can take to plan and respond to excessive heat events. A “Beat the Heat” poster is also available that outlines eight simple steps that older adults can take to save lives and reduce their risk to extreme heat.
Older adults who may be more susceptible to the effects of pesticide exposure can also play an important role in keeping grandchildren safe from pesticides. The “Effective Control of Household Pests” fact sheet discusses responsible pesticide use across generations.
Older adults are considered especially vulnerable to waterborne contaminants. Persons living with HIV and those with compromised immune systems are also at greater risk. The fact sheet “Water Works” addresses dehydration, microbes in drinking water and what to do if you can not drink your tap water due to a spill or temporary treatment problem. It also provides resources for protecting private well water.
A purple series of the fact sheets has been prepared for a low literacy audience who read at the 6th grade level. In addition, these fact sheets have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian and Haitian Creole. If you would like copies of or all of the fact sheets described above, you may request copies at aging.info@epa.gov, or you may download copies at copies at http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/factsheets.htm#fs. To get the latest monthly news, grant opportunities and publications related to environmental health, smart growth and aging, subscribe to the listserv at http://www.epa.gov/aging .