By Suzanne Maxx
Obama Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency
Last week EPA continued to be in the limelight, moving faster now that they have the chance to reap the resources much needed for growth. They are not only getting financial support to be more effective, but also people are now re-awakening to the importance of our environmental resources for our world.
EPA’s Region 2 had a landmark week starting Monday March 30th with “Translating Science to Policy”- Protecting Children’s Environmental Health, a daylong power house event. We all have a stake in children’s health, so when the science can translate to policy, change emerges.
• “Translating Science to Policy”- Protecting Children’s Environmental Health
March 30th 2009, Alfred Learner Hall, Columbia University,-New York City, USA
“We are guardians of the things we all value,” said Lisa Jackson Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the key note for “Translating Science to Policy”: Protecting Children’s Environmental Health, a conference at Columbia University, hosted jointly by Columbia’s Center for Children’s Developmental Health and WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “EPA is an advocate for the people, and we are back on the job,” — obviously words the audience was ready to hear — from Administrator Jackson based on the standing ovation she received.
After a decade of research the all day event celebrated how scientific data gathered is being translated into public health policy for environmental justice. This is a joint effort to use science to prove the impact that environmental factors have on the health of children and now to generate policy to benefit people. The specific measureable results of community based research projects provided the data about how contaminates effect all of us.
“The conversion of New York City’s bus fleets to clean diesel and the installation by EPA of permanent air monitors in Harlem and “other hot spots” are among the outcomes for which the our partnerships’ research and policy work between “WE ACT” and Columbia’s Mailman Center for Children’s Environmental Health, and NIEHS Center for Environmental Health has been given substantial credit” said WE ACT’s Executive Director Peggy Shepard. Climate Change is not only important just because of what it does to the environment, but also because of the effect it has on human health, so presented here is the opportunity for integrated policy for both health and climate.
The topics of the day explored fossil fuel, climate change, air pollution from traffic, endocrine disrupting chemicals found in common consumer products, pesticides and prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos and diazinon-all put our children’s health at risk. Great experts in the field presented — from Director Frederica Perera PhD, and Patrick Kinney Sc.D of Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health at Mailman School of Health, Columbia University to Sara Steingraber, PhD., Scholar in Residence, Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies, Ithica College—and the afternoon key note by Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D, D.A.B.T., A.T.S., Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The studies were focused on pregnant women and children through different stages of development. In one study they measured the effect of what is called “fine particular matter” which translate to pesticides, diesel, dust, second hand smoke, mice & roach allergens with 500 mom’s who wore a back pack that measured the quality of the air they were breathing . The City Pesticide Bill came as a result, and Local Law 37 for safer pesticides now exists. It is refreshing when science becomes a determining factor in decision making and inspires new policy.
If you thought things that cause global warming only effected the climate’s change , think again, it effects the DNA of us all—the effect of environmental toxins on people has been something hard to measure, but with the success of this program there is now more scientific evidence. Scientific studies are proving that environmental pollution plays a big role in public health. In one study done by analyzing the centrifuge chemicals in the DNA, and the umbilical cord blood, scientists have been able to see how environmental factors play heavily into the development of children.
They gathered a cross section of people (cohorts) for their studies in Poland, China, USA and the World Trade Center Site. Measured was how environmental contaminates, for example fossil fuel related-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) can effect cognitive development. Learning about our exposure to environmental toxins, is challenging but it is inspiring to know we are becoming aware and there are people out their committed to necessary scientific research to use these finding to create policies to protect us all.
Science to Policy for People — sums up what happened at the event at Columbia University that focused on protecting children’s environmental health. The presenters did a good job of engaging the audience even if one didn’t understand the soup of contaminants with ingredients like CO2, Pb, O3, BTEX, CH4, H2S, NOx, PAHs, VOCs and PM2.5 PM10 we knew Diesel, have smelt it, and could clearly understand our challenge; we all are called to become more aware. It’s more than eating the right fish (see NRDC’s sushi chart), and changing a light bulb, but that it is a good place to start.
Friday’s event in Albany with the largest EPA Grant ever for water infrastructure projects in New York announced jointly by Governor Paterson and EPA’s Administrator Jackson, booked end this landmark week for EPA’s Region 2.
Even though Columbia University’s CCLS has been an unofficial base for World Team Now in NYC, I wouldn’t have known about the Monday event if EPA’s Walter Andrews, didn’t extend an invitation. I contacted EPA recently when I came across some seemingly insurmountable environmental obstacles with World Team Now’s New York City building project. After some brief discussions about Brownfields, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST), wetlands and landfill contaminates, I discovered Walter happened to work with my mom at EPA years ago in this Region 2 office. There are some very dedicated public servants at EPA, and Walter Andrews is certainly one. It is a small world with caring passionate people who remained faithful to public service and the mission the agency was created for — to protect our environment. Thank you to Walter and to all at EPA we value the fact that your work can move forward to serve the public now.
To share the knowledge and give it with the wisdom to the lives of all people is a huge undertaking –we at World Team Now envision and embark on with our journey. The challenge is really reaching each one of you and your family and our public at large.
Are you willing to help? Are you willing to share the information about health and the environment? If you care to go deeper, below are some site to explore in addition to ours at World Team Now http://www.worldteamnow.org. We at World Team Now hope we can help accomplish our collective mission.
