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    • Special Report: Some vinegars -- often expensive, aged balsamics -- contain a big dose of lead.
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    • Soldiers claim war zone contractors exposed them to toxins.
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      Companies that make ultrathin solar panels using a toxic compound are watching nervously as the European Union considers expanding a ban on such materials in electrical components.
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      California has a worldwide reputation as a leader in global warming, more so than any other state. But an ongoing Bee investigation has found some of the state's choices - from recycled paper to ink cartridges to employee travel - raise questions about the effectiveness of its efforts.
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    • Asbestos killing more Canadians than ever—like old 'landmines.'
      An aggressive cancer linked to asbestos is killing more Canadians than ever before—even decades after the end of a boom that saw buildings stuffed with the toxic substance.
    • Report casts doubt on MD's claims about Alberta reserve's cancer rates.
      He's one of Alberta's most famous whistleblowers, but a new report casts doubt on Dr. John O'Connor's crusade to expose unusually high rare cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan, a small community downstream from the province's massive oil sands.
    • Study: Illegal dumping rarely leads to punishment or fines.
      A new study shows that environmental crime in Israel is not only widespread - it pays, as illegal dumping saves violators money. The chances that someone who dumps illegal construction waste will be caught by the Environmental Protection Ministry's Green Police are only one in a thousand, it found.
    • Newmont and the cyanide spillage saga.
      About six communities dotted around the stream leading to the Subri River into which Newmont spilled cyanide have called on the government and other stakeholders to relocate them. Newmont and some chiefs claimed the communities did not exist.
    • El Salvador floods, mudslides kill 124, 60 missing.
      Mud and boulders loosened by heavy rains swept down a volcano and partly buried a small town Sunday, swallowing up homes as flooding and landslides across El Salvador killed at least 124 people, authorities said.
    • Numerous challenges for Harare water supply.
      When mayor Muchadeyi Masunda took office in July 2008, one of his most immediate tasks was to resolve the water crisis in the capital. But as the year draws to an end, many areas of Harare still do not have a reliable supply of the precious liquid.
    • The pursuit of new ways to boost solar development.
      The solar power boom in Germany, Spain, and other places has been fueled by government subsidies. But now some U.S. states — led, perhaps surprisingly, by New Jersey — are pioneering a different approach: issuing tradable credits that can be sold on the open market.
    • $20 million set for river cleanup.
      Federal and state regulators are planning to remove more than 4 million pounds of contaminated sediments from the Milwaukee River and Lincoln Creek at an estimated cost of $20.2 million. It is the latest effort in Wisconsin to clean industrial chemicals from waterways flowing into Lake Michigan.
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About us

This weblog is for the discussion of contemporary environmental public health issues – issues that may occur locally, nationally, or internationally. My name is Dr. Raymond W. Thron and I will be one of your hosts for this weblog. Joining me is Dr. Shana Morrell. Additional contributors and authors will be announced as they join. The commentaries reflect the opinions and beliefs of the individual writer. Your hosts will will attempt to ensure that all information posted is credible.

For any commentary, to see comments offered, please click on the commentary title, or on “comments” link at the end of the commentary.

Please note that all links in the commentaries were functional at the time the specific commentary was published. Links, however, do change. If you should encounter a non-functional link, do let me know. I will then try to find the new document location, if possible. Send a note to rwthron@yahoo.com

Thank you.

Raymond W. Thron, Ph.D.
Dr. Thron has had a life long career in environmental public health, having worked for both local and state agencies, the private sector, and currently as a faculty member at Walden University. At Walden University, he helped create and served as the first faculty chair for its doctorate program in public health. For ten years, he served as the director of environmental and occupational health for the State of Minnesota.

Previously he had the opportunity to work in several East European countries helping them regarding public health infrastructure, including environmental and occupational health issues, workforce development, and public health collaborative endeavors. Past academic affiliations include the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN), Howard University, and through training provided to faculty at Namibia University, Namibia, and Kenyata University, Kenya.

Shana Morrell, Ph.D., MPH
Dr. Morrell received her MPH and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. She majored in environmental health, specializing in environmental toxicology. She currently is serving as the Interim MPH Program Director with Walden University in the School of Health Sciences. She also teaches graduate level environmental health and public health biology courses. She maintains a special interest in global environmental health and environmental and social justice.

Mehrdad M. Javaherian

 Mr. Mehrdad Javaherian has over 17 years of consulting experience in the evaluation and management of environmental impacts, including quantifying the extent, fate, transport, health risks, and remediation of contaminants in surface and subsurface systems. Mr. Javaherian’s project experience includes numerous site investigations, chemical fate and transport studies, human health and ecological risk assessments, implementation of innovative remediation technologies, and development of risk management plans for hazardous waste sites. His research and development experience includes contributions to the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) in areas of fate and transport modeling and/or toxicological risk assessment. His current research focuses on indoor air quality, vapor intrusion, and green remediation practices. Mr. Javaherian holds a BS degree in civil/environmental engineering, a Master’s Degree in Public Health (MPH), and he is a Ph.D student in epidemiology.

Nina M. Bell, MPH
Mrs. Bell has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and public relations, most of which encompass the healthcare arena. A resident of Northwestern Pennsylvania, she currently works as the Vice President of Stewardship and Development for The Wesbury Foundation, which supports a Continued Care Retirement Community of 400 aging adults.

In the realm of athletics, Mrs. Bell is a triathlete and completed five Ironman competitions as well as several Olympic and Sprint distance races. In 2000, she was named the ASCInet Ohio State Triathlon Series Age-Group Champion. She has also won her division in several regional races in Northwestern Pennsylvania/Eastern Ohio. In 2007, she was named the Ford Ironman Everyday Hero at Ironman Wisconsin for her work in developing a children’s bicycling program to combat childhood obesity. That program is being developed into a publication that will be used as a model for other communities.

She holds a BA degree in public relations/journalism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a master’s diploma from the University of London in organizational behavior, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a credential held by only 5,000 people worldwide. She is currently working toward her MPH and PhD in public health/health promotion and education at Walden University.

29 Jul 2008>

26 Responses

  1. Karen Tucker, on April 16th, 2009 at 14:50 Said:

    I would like to know how to submit a power point for consideration on the blog.

    Reply
    • environmentalhealthtoday, on May 5th, 2009 at 12:34 Said:

      The instructions have now been posted in the “Doc Sharing” folder in your PUBH 6165/8165, Environmental Health course section. Remember (if you haven’t already done so), you will need to establish an account at WordPress.com Information on establishing an account are also included in the instructions.

      Reply
  2. Selim, on May 7th, 2009 at 10:01 Said:

    Sir/Madam,

    I signed up as a Walden student (Instructor’s name Dr. Thron).

    My user name: selimkhan

    I used @ in my password, I don’t know that was the cause or not, my password is not working and I can’t sign in at all. I used the change password pathways, but failed.

    I have to submit my paper, Please could you help me changing my password and thereby signing in.

    Thanks with best regards

    Reply
  3. drmorrell, on May 8th, 2009 at 21:58 Said:

    We are not able to change your passwords. Those need to be done through WordPress. Please see if they can help, and don’t worry about the late posting. You are not going to be penalized for technical issues with posting.

    Dr. Morrell

    Reply
  4. mjelley, on May 9th, 2009 at 7:56 Said:

    Dr. Thron,
    I am still not able to post on your page. My blog page seems to be working fine.
    I can be reach via
    michael.jelley@waldenu.edu or
    jell6331@bellsouth.net or
    mjelley@cdc.gov

    ph 770-367-5035
    Tks
    MJ

    Reply
  5. cattruitt, on May 9th, 2009 at 12:39 Said:

    I need help with posting my project to this website. I can not find any place for a new upload in my particular class. Can anyone help me please.

    Cat Truitt

    Reply
  6. yanick681, on May 10th, 2009 at 16:40 Said:

    I am still not able to post. I am not able to find “New Post” or “Media”. I have gone to the site several times and still can’t find them. I am able to go as far as contributor log in which brings me to dashboard which shows “your stuff”, “today”, and “PUBH6165/8165”. When I click on “PUBH” I arrive at the site that I am on now.
    Please help so that I can post my paper.

    Thank you.
    Yanick
    my e-mail is yanick.devastey@waldenu.edu

    Reply
  7. Sherena Readous, on May 10th, 2009 at 18:25 Said:

    I have not been able to log on as a contributor yet, I do not see any links for new post when I log onto the website. Have I been added as a contributor yet?

    Sherena.Readous@waldenu.edu

    Reply
  8. Sia Bangura, on May 12th, 2009 at 20:04 Said:

    Dear Dr. Thon,

    I have registered at WordPress (about 30 mins ago) and am wondering when I will be added as an author. I suspect sometime tomorrow.

    Thank you and I will check back later.

    Regards
    sia

    Reply
  9. andreabowers, on July 28th, 2009 at 15:02 Said:

    I have a WordPress account and would like to be added as a author.

    email: andrea.bowers@waldenu.edu

    Reply
  10. drmorrell, on July 30th, 2009 at 10:36 Said:

    Andrea, I have put you in as a contributor, so you can post to the site. Thanks for your interest!
    Dr. Morrell

    Reply
  11. brucewoods, on August 1st, 2009 at 22:58 Said:

    I have a WordPress account and would like to be added as author. Is there something that I am supposed to be doing to initiate this or does someone else trigger this capability?

    Reply
    • Patricia Facquet, on August 2nd, 2009 at 15:04 Said:

      Good afternoon Bruce -

      Can you tell me whose class you are in because at the moment I do not see you on the roster for any of the Summer quarter 2009 PUBH 6165 classes. Did you use another name or email other than you Walden University email?

      As soon as I know which class you are in I can email you the link to place you in the author column.

      Regards,
      Patricia

      Patricia Facquet, RN, M.Ed, N., MSPH, CCRC, PhD(c)
      Research Assistant to Drs. Thron & Morrell

      Walden University School of Health Services – Division of Public Health
      Program: PhD in PUBH Community Health Education & Promotion
      Email: patricia.facquet@waldenu.edu

      Reply
  12. shanteajohnson, on August 2nd, 2009 at 12:35 Said:

    I also have a wordpress account but need to be added as an author.

    email: shantea.johnson@walden.edu

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Patricia Facquet, on August 2nd, 2009 at 15:01 Said:

      Hi Shantea -

      You do not appear on the roster under your Walden email. I have sent you another email so you can re-register and I can put you in as an author.

      Regards,
      Patricia

      Patricia Facquet, RN, M.Ed, N., MSPH, CCRC, PhD(c)
      Research Assistant to Drs. Thron & Morrell

      Walden University School of Health Services – Division of Public Health
      Program: PhD in PUBH Community Health Education & Promotion
      NYC Metro Area
      Email: patricia.facquet@waldenu.edu

      Reply
      • shanteajohnson, on August 2nd, 2009 at 17:04 Said:

        Hello Dr. Facquet,

        My correct email is shantea.johnson@waldenu.edu., i miss typed intially. I could not locate the the other email you sent. thank you for your assistance with this matter. I have also sent this email to your walden email.

        Many thanks

        Shantea

  13. shanteajohnson, on August 2nd, 2009 at 17:57 Said:

    Hello Dr. Facquet,

    My class and instructor are:

    PUBH-6165-2 Environmental Health
    Instructor: Jalal Ghaemghami
    My correct email is shantea.johnson@waldenu.edu.

    Reply
    • Patricia Facquet, on August 2nd, 2009 at 18:31 Said:

      Hi Shantea -

      I have corrected your status and you are now an author and should not have a problem getting in to post.

      Thanks for the “Dr.” but I am not there yet – August 2010 a year from now.

      Regards,
      Patricia

      Reply
  14. brucewoods, on August 2nd, 2009 at 19:31 Said:

    When looking for the posting buttons on the left side, I can see a button for Posts (Edit, Add New).
    However, I do NOT see a button for Media….There does not appear to be an “add media” button, at least I can’t see it…Below the word Posts is the word Comments.

    Or perhaps asked another way, how do I upload my commentary WORD document?

    Thanks in advance for the help…

    Reply
  15. tracybrannan, on August 22nd, 2009 at 11:39 Said:

    Dear Sir/Madame,
    Could you add me as an author. My class is Environmental Health 6165 with Dr. Allen. I think I need added as an author.
    Thanks,
    Tracy Brannan

    Reply
  16. Tracy Brannan, on August 24th, 2009 at 20:26 Said:

    Dear Sir/Madame,
    As a part of my Environmental Public Health Class I have made numerous attempts to post to your page. I believe that my work on Disaster Prepardness/Injury Prevention is suitable for your site. Even though class is over I would still like to post. Somehow I set myselt up with my own blog instead of following up my enrollment in word press last june. If you would set me up as an author I would be grateful.
    Kindest Regards,
    Tracy Brannan

    Reply
    • Patricia Facquet, on August 26th, 2009 at 2:57 Said:

      Hi Tracy -

      You did just that you entered WordPress and developed your own blog instead of registering for the Environmental Public Health Today Blog. I will go in and add you to the course.

      In the future please eamail us using the Walden U email as I just came across your posting.

      Pat

      Patricia Facquet, RN, M.Ed, N., MSPH, CCRC, PhD(c)
      Research Assistant to Drs. Thron & Morrell

      Walden University School of Health Services – Division of Public Health
      Program: PhD in PUBH Community Health Education & Promotion
      Email: patricia.facquet@waldenu.edu

      Reply
  17. Patricia Facquet, on August 2nd, 2009 at 16:34 Said:

    Hi Bruce -

    I have your name now and have activated you as an author.
    Best of luck in your posting.

    Regards,
    Patricia

    Patricia Facquet, RN, M.Ed, N., MSPH, CCRC, PhD(c)
    Research Assistant to Drs. Thron & Morrell

    Reply
  18. brucewoods, on August 2nd, 2009 at 19:17 Said:

    When looking for the posting buttons on the left side, while I can see Posts (Edit, Add New), I do NOT see a button for Media….The is no “add media”, at least I can’t see it…Below the word Posts is the Comments?????????????

    Reply

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