What Would Rachel Say?

Thank you.

At the Toxics Action Conference on March 24, 2007, keynote speaker Lois Gibbs compared hunting licenses to the pollution permits that allow corporations to contaminate our air, water, and food.   " When you get a hunting license," she noted, " you are limited to certain times and places, and you are never allowed to kill the babies.  In contrast, when a corporation gets a permit to pollute from the federal or state government, it is a perpetual toxic release, and our babies are the first and the worst affected ."

Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 Green Chemistry: Innovating for Public Health  Growing awareness about the health implications of hazardous chemicals in our everyday lives has prompted some scientists to design less toxic alternatives, such as nontoxic glues and bio-based plastics. This exciting new field of research is known as green chemistry, and Terry Collins, PhD, MSc, is one of the major leaders and drivers of this field. He serves as the Thomas Lord Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University where he directs the Institute for Green Oxidation Chemistry. He will speak about his research program, implications for the health community, and public policy opportunities to encourage the development of products using green chemistry.

Click here for Dr. Collin's presentation [PDF].  http://www.oeconline.org/health/resolveuid/5fc06b3cbb865c19e50d3b8aecf1e413

Thursday, Feb 8, 2007
Nanotechnology: Potential for Improved Diagnosis Comes with Concerns
Nanotechnology -- a group of emerging technologies in which the structure of matter is manipulated at the nanometer scale ??? has fast become an arena of great technological promise as well as deep concern. Nanotech can be used to produce novel materials and devices, such as new medical treatments and tools and advanced environmentally friendly materials. However, because of the small size of the particles and limited toxicity research, a number of health concerns have been raised. Joel Tickner, ScD, Director of the Chemical Science and Policy Program and Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health and Sustainability at the University of Massachusetts???Lowell, will discuss the exciting potential and pitfalls of this technology and how we can make prudent public health choices when considering emerging technologies such as nanotech.
Click here for Dr. Tickner's presentation [PDF].
http://www.oeconline.org/health/resolveuid/6330742c68eed7206a5aeb4e17c4ca19

Health Costs of Pollution: Is an Ounce of Prevention Worth a Pound of Cure?

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Much of the blame for increasing health costs has been placed on rising drug costs or increasing malpractice insurance rates -- but there's another factor that has gotten less attention: pollution. For example, one study estimates that the monetary benefit of avoiding illnesses caused by off-road diesel pollution in Oregon would be over $879 million per year. Add in other pollution-related diseases, such as mercury poisoning, and the benefit could be millions more. Kate Davies, MA, PhD, Professor and Associate Director, Center for Creative Change at Antioch University, who conducted a study of the economic costs of environmental disease in Washington State, will speak of her findings and the implications for Oregon and disease prevention.

Click here for secure online registration.