15 | February | 2010 | Environmental Public Health Today

House passes another bill authorizing Keystone XL.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday that would speed construction of the Keystone XL pipeline - a largely symbolic measure with probably no chance of clearing the Democratic Senate and overcoming a presidential veto.

Whey too much: Greek yogurt’s dark side.

Greek yogurt is a booming $2 billion a year industry — and it's producing millions of pounds of waste that industry insiders are scrambling to figure out what to do with.

Plastic food packaging could cause high blood pressure in children.

Chemicals found in common plastics could cause high blood pressure in children, according to a new study. Flooring, plastic cups, beach balls and plastic packaging contain phalates that are causing a rise in cases of juvenile high blood pressure, the scientists claim.

Interactive: Chemical that sparked deadly Texas explosion found across US.

A new map shows ammonium nitrate facilities in 29 states according to federally required reports intended to help residents and first responders understand chemical risks in their communities.

Overhaul of chemical safety law gets bipartisan support in Senate.

In a rare display of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill, a group of key senators unveiled legislation Wednesday that would require chemical companies to provide more health and safety information about their products and give regulators more power to force harmful compounds off the market.

Frog, toad and salamander populations plummeting, US survey finds.

Frogs, toads and salamanders continue to vanish from the American landscape at an alarming pace, with seven species facing 50 percent drops in their numbers within seven years if the current rate of decline continues, according to new government research.

Did my faulty breast implants kill my darling daughter?

As experts warn leaking implants may harm babies, mothers are terrified they have paid a terrible price for their vanity.

Montreal's boil-water warning inflames an already simmering city.

In an extraordinary warning, 1.3 million residents in and around Montreal were told their tap water was unsafe to drink, further eroding the public’s trust in the stewardship of a city mired in infrastructure woes and corruption scandals.

House proposes 'devastating' cuts to Interior, EPA accounts in fiscal 2014.

House appropriators proposed allocating $24.3 billion to the subcommittee that funds the Interior Department, Forest Service and U.S. EPA for next fiscal year, a level that would likely require significant cuts to a host of conservation programs, clean water grants, and climate change work.

Prepare now or face flooding, report warns Jersey Shore.

The economic fallout from Hurricane Sandy will be the future of the Barnegat Bay region for decades to come unless communities do more to prepare for sea-level rise, say Rutgers University researchers whose new report focuses intently on the economic risks from climate change for New Jersey's Ocean County.

Oklahoma tornado damage could top $2 billion.

The tornado that tore through an Oklahoma City suburb destroyed or damaged as many as 13,000 homes and may have caused $2 billion in overall damage, officials said Wednesday.

New rules for disposing of old thermostats in California.

California took an aggressive step on Wednesday to ensure that mercury-laden thermostats in homes and businesses do not wind up in landfills and pollute the environment.

In China, food scares put Mao's self-sufficiency goal at risk.

The discovery of dangerous levels of toxic cadmium in rice sold in the southern city of Guangzhou, the latest in a series of food scandals, has piled more pressure on China to clean up its food chain - possibly at the expense of Mao Zedong's cherished goal of self-sufficiency.

What's in your green tea?

A new report by an independent laboratory shows that green tea can vary widely from one cup to the next. Some bottled varieties appear to be little more than sugar water and some green tea leaves, particularly those from China, are contaminated with lead, though the metal does not appear to leach out during the brewing process.

Hunt for 400 as measles outbreak threatens to spread.

A measles outbreak in the mining hub of Moranbah could spread nationwide, with authorities chasing 400 people potentially exposed to the virus who may have flown or driven out of the north Queensland community.

Scientist plays down flu pandemic scaremongering.

A Nobel prize-winning scientist on Tuesday played down “shock-horror scenarios” that a new virus strain will emerge with the potential to kill millions of people.

Enough iodine vital in pregnancy – study.

Pregnant women and those planning to have children should ensure adequate iodine intake, according to the authors of a new report. Lack of iodine, for which good dietary sources are milk, dairy products and fish, can lead to reduced mental development in their children, the study found.

More than half of plant and animal species in UK dying out, says report.

More than half of the plant and animal species in Britain are dying out, according to a report. "It’s not surprising, they’re getting on for a third more people living in this country over the last 50 years, said Sir David Attenborough, who also blamed the use of chemicals on farms.

In Moore, a day for salvaging, mourning and considering the future.

Two days after a huge tornado barreled through this working-class town, authorities reopened the worst-hit neighborhoods for the first time on Wednesday, giving residents a few hours to search for wedding rings, retrieve abandoned pets and see what had survived and what had not.

Greek yogurt's half-a-supertanker-per-year toxic waste problem.

The production of Greek yogurt, the smooth, creamy and protein-packed breakfast food that has made brands like Fage and Chobani household names, creates massive amounts of a toxic by-product called acid whey.

Recycling Matters.

Posted on Monday, 15 February 2010 by aacquah

The purpose of this presentation is to increase awareness on the importance of recycling to children; focusing mainly on elementary to middle school kids. The presentation seeks to help them learn the benefits of recycling, and show them the concept of being eco-friendly and how they can contribute to this great exercise, to avoid waste and preserve the environment. Some of the topics presented in this presentation include, the “Recycle Circle”, the “3- R’s” of recycling, helpful hints on recycling and where to find local help. Although this presentation is directed towards kids living in the Westerville- Columbus area in Ohio, it is for the benefit of all.

Please click here to view presentation

http://environmentalhealthtoday.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/app7acquah-a-doc1.ppt

I hope this presentation is helpful. Please feel free to leave comments and questions below if you have any. Thank you.

Anita Acquah

PUBH 6165-01, Environmental Health

Walden University

Filed under: PUBH 6165/8165 EH Service-based learning activities | 1 Comment »

The Safety and Efficacy of Water Fluoridation

Posted on Monday, 15 February 2010 by mramnon

This presentation reviews the pros and cons of water fluoridation, the benefits of water fluoridation to communities and the controversies surrounding water fluoridation. It is intended to increase the knowledge of Floridians, government officials and stakeholders.

Please click here to view the presentation. I hope you will find the information informative and useful. I welcome your questions and comments. Thank you.

Merlene Ramnon

PUBH 8165-1- Environmental Health

Filed under: PUBH 6165/8165 EH Service-based learning activities | 8 Comments »

Nutrition Labeling At Restaurants: Education For Restaurant Owners

Posted on Monday, 15 February 2010 by mickivasile

This presentation will provide you with an overview of nutritional guidelines, talk about the benefits of healthy eating, discuss the associated risks of unhealthy eating and lastly to demonstrate the benefits of providing nutritional facts on menus.

I hope that the information is helpful. If you have any questions or care to leave a comment, please do so. Thank you.

Nutrition Labeling At Restaurants: Education For Restaurant Owners

Filed under: PUBH 6165/8165 EH Service-based learning activities | Leave a Comment »

CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AND THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM: The real effects.

Posted on Monday, 15 February 2010 by mofoster99

I am hear to give a presentation on the effects of chemical exposure on the endocrine system. Chemical exposure is becoming a very important topic all over the globe and can affect everyone in a round about way. In Public Health, it is the role of the professional to help identify the health risks that are associated with certain exposures. I have chosen to focus more on the average person and agricultural families and what these chemical exposures can mean.

Please click here to view the full presentation. I hope that I have provided some information that is useful to you.

Morgan J Foster

PUBH -8165-10

Walden University

Filed under: PUBH 6165/8165 EH Service-based learning activities | 3 Comments »

Pandemic Influenza Prevention

Posted on Monday, 15 February 2010 by michelecarpenter

Pandemic Influenza Prevention in the Correctional Environment- Dekalb County Jail

Filed under: PUBH 6165/8165 EH Service-based learning activities | 1 Comment »

Global Warming: Effects on the Health of our Planet

Posted on Monday, 15 February 2010 by slkratochvil

APP9KratochvilS

Welcome to this presentation on global warming’s effects on the health of our planet. This presentation is intended to help make you more aware of the current and future impact of global warming on the health and well being of our communities. As public health educators, we should all be aware of one of the world’s largest threats to the health of the world’s population in the near future. The future of our children and grandchildren is in our hands. This presentation will briefly explain what global warming is, causes of global warming, the Greenhouse Effect, health effects of global warming, what we can do about global warming, and challenges for climate change and public health. Thank you for reading this presentation and I look forward to hearing your commentaries.

Susan Kratochvil, MPH Student
Walden University PUBH 6165-1
Instructor: Dr. Rebecca Heick
Winter Quarter, 2010

Filed under: General environmental health, PUBH 6165/8165 EH Service-based learning activities | 1 Comment »

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Research – articles & reviews

Greener neighborhood, bigger babies.

Pregnant women living in areas with more plants and trees gave birth to slightly heavier babies with slightly larger heads, reports a new study from Spain.

Flame retardants may slightly affect toddlers' mental development.

Flame retardants in first breast milk may have a small effect on mental development of toddlers, reports a new study from Spain.

Traffic noise increases risk of diabetes.

Noise from busy roads and highways can raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, possibly by interrupting sleep and increasing stress, according to a large study from Denmark.

BPA levels in minority communities linked to ethnicity, season, chemical exposures.

A new study provides deeper insight into how bisphenol A exposures differ among minority populations in New York City.

Born sooner and smaller; PFOS affects fetal growth in the womb.

Babies with higher PFOS exposures in the womb are born smaller and sooner, reports a new study from Taiwan.

BPA levels in fetal livers higher than adult exposures.

A new study shows bisphenol A can cross the placenta and get into the developing livers of fetuses.

Solar cell maximizes energy output with fewer materials.

A more efficient and unobtrusive solar cell could be made with fewer materials and less energy, according to University of Michigan research.

Firemaster 550 an obesogen; linked to weight gain, early puberty, anxiety in rats.

Rats exposed to the common flame retardant Firemaster 550 before birth and while nursing gained weight earlier and were obese as adults.

Secondhand smoke during pregnancy alters children's behavior.

Mothers who breathe secondhand smoke are twice as likely to have children with attention and aggression problems, a study from China reports.

Tributyltin promotes obesity in mice generations.

Prenatal exposure to the pesticide tributyltin increased obesity in mice for several generations by permanently changing how fat cells develop, mature and store fat, according to a new study.

Porous material could purify bioethanol with less w.

Chemists have debuted a unique, porous material they say separates ethanol from contaminants that lower its performance.

BPA is associated with slower growth before birth.

Bisphenol A at levels commonly found in people may slow fetal growth, according to a Dutch study.

Baby mice exposed to air particles seek instant rewards, a behavior linked to addiction.

Baby mice that breathed tiny particles found in urban air were more impatient when they grew up than mice that breathed filtered air.

Promising battery technology packs more performance.

A new type of lithium battery brings researchers a step closer to a more powerful, stable and longer lasting battery that could power the cars and personal electronics of the future.

Cadmium and lead linked to hearing loss in U.S. adults.

Low levels of lead and cadmium may contribute to hearing loss, according to a large study of U.S. adults.

Flame-retardants may affect a child's attention, IQ.

Exposure to flame retardants during pregnancy or early childhood may lead to children with poorer attention, motor skills and IQ scores.

Shorter fibers key to safer carbon nanotubes.

A chemical redesign of carbon nanotubes has reduced their harmful effects on lungs, an issue that has hindered their widespread use.

Mom's pesticide exposure raises risk of infant leukemia.

A mother's exposure to pesticides before, during and after pregnancy may increase the risk of infant leukemia diagnosed before the age of 2, found a study from Brazil.

Fish swim slower if parents exposed to flame retardant.

Young zebrafish exposed to flame retardants through their mothers swam up to 60 percent slower and had reduced gene expression important for nervous system development.

Steam turns feathers into useful additive.

In a new twist on an old problem, researchers use steam to transform feather waste into the valuable product keratin.

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Recycling Matters.

The Safety and Efficacy of Water Fluoridation

Nutrition Labeling At Restaurants: Education For Restaurant Owners

CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AND THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM: The real effects.

Pandemic Influenza Prevention

Global Warming: Effects on the Health of our Planet

Research – articles & reviews

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