Title: ANNOUNCEMENTS

Author:

Section/SPIG: Environment

Issue Date:

1. The Second International Conference on Urban Health, sponsored by the newly formed International Society for Urban Health (ISUH) and the New York Academy of Medicine, will take place in New York, NY from October 15 to 18. The event is co-sponsored by a number of SPHs. Overarching themes include the Urban Environment, Themes in Urban Health and the Healthy City. The event coincides with the formation of ISUH, whose goal is to facilitate the exchange of perspectives, research methods, and data on the study of disease in urban areas and the effects of urbanization on health. For more information and to register, see <http://www.isuh.org/conference.html>.

2. The CDC National Center for Environmental Health is sponsoring the Sixth National Environmental Public Health Conference, "Preparing for the Environmental Public Health Challenges of the 21st Century," to be held at the Hilton Atlanta Hotel, Dec. 3-5, 2003. More information can be found at: <http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/Information/ncehconf03.htm>. Conference goals are to prepare the public health workforce for the environmental public health challenges of the 21st century, promote the need for an all-hazards approach to preparedness and response that encompasses terrorism, natural disasters, and other environmental challenges, and promote the development of emerging environmental public health leaders. The conference will feature a number of outstanding keynote speakers such as Dr. Richard Jackson and William McDonough. Environment Section members are strongly encouraged to attend.

3. NEW REPORT on ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE & PRECAUTION from Rachel's Environment & Health News, #770, May 29, 2003 (Published July 31, 2003) by Peter Montague, The Environmental Research Foundation, P.O. Box 160, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903, Fax (732) 791-4603; E-mail: <erf@rachel.org>

“In the U.S., we all live in the same country, but we do not all live in the same environment. For example, a report just released by the Environmental Justice & Health Union in Oakland, Calif. examines U.S. government data and concludes that blacks and Hispanics are exposed to exotic industrial poisons more often and with greater intensity than whites.”
References:
  • Available on the Web at <www.ejhu.org/disparities.html>

  • Read the San Francisco Precautionary Principle law at <www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=195>

  • Learn how the law came about in Rachel's #765 at http://www.rachel.org/bulletin/index.cfm?issue_ID=2338

  • The July 11, 2003 Draft Cal/EPA EJAC report is available at http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=186


    • 4. The Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning has changed its name to the Alliance for Healthy Homes <www.afhh.org>, as the work focus has expanded to address other housing-related health hazards (CO, cockroaches, dust mites, mold, pesticides) in addition to on lead poisoning prevention.

    5. View an online book about indoor air, from NIEHS called Crabby Kathy: A True Story -- Kathy is the teacher and the kids go about finding out what makes Kathy crabby at school (and it's not them), and what makes her crabby is "in the air." <http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/kathy/home.htm>

    6. Congratulations to Dr. Allen Dearry, the Associate Director of Research Coordination, Planning & Translation at NIEHS; to Mr. Chris Kochtitzky in his new position at CDC as Deputy Director-Division of Human Development and to Dr. Dick Jackson, now the Senior Advisor to CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding and a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

    7. The Environment Section strongly supports mentoring and encourages emerging environmental health leaders to join us! We are looking for new people to attend our business meetings and to play key roles in the Section activities and welcome your participation at the Section’s Business meetings (see below). The Program will list the locations.
    • Sunday, Nov. 16, 8-9:30 a.m.
    • Sunday, Nov. 16, 6-7 p.m.
    • Monday, Nov. 17, 6:30-8 a.m.
    • Tuesday, Nov. 18, 6:30-8 p.m. (program planning for 2004)

    The Environment Section Social Hour will be Monday, Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m.