NEHA - 73rd Annual Education Conference (AEC) & Exhibition

Sustainability

NEHA believes protecting our natural environment is critical to the health and prosperity of our communities and world. At the 73rd Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibition, NEHA is expanding the Sustainability educational track to focus on the role of environmental health in climate change, built communities, and sustainable development. A special keynote presentation by CDC leader, Dr. Howard Frumkin, MD, MPH, DrPH will explore how environmental health professionals can assist communities and governments develop far reaching and long-term strategies designed to ward off prolonged climate change and achieve sustainable ways of living with and within the natural environment.

The Sustainability educational program will address:
• The potential impacts of climate change on differing segments of the nation’s population
• Efforts CDC is undertaking to prepare the nation for the potential impacts of climate change
• How smart growth initiatives can be interwoven with public health to make cities and indoor environments more livable and environmentally friendly for citizens
• Efforts citizens are making to “green” their food consumption
• “Green” pest control in the area of food safety and preparation
• Teaching future generations about the principles of sustainability

At the conference, NEHA will also award its 2nd Annual Excellence in Sustainability Award to an organization, business, association, individual, or NEHA member who is solving environmental challenges by using innovative and environmentally sustainable practices. Deadline for applications has been extended to May 15, 2009.

CLIMATE CHANGE: UNDERSTANDING AND DEBATING ITS POTENTIAL IMPACTS Participate in these educational sessions and hear both sides of the climate change debate; get an outlook on the disproportionate impacts of climate change on differing segments of the nation's population; and learn of the efforts CDC is undertaking to prepare the nation for the potential impacts of climate change.	Monday, June 22: 1:00 – 1:50pm Taking the Pulse of a Changing Nation: Findings from a Survey on Climate Change and State/Territorial Health Agencies Daniel Sinclair, MPH, Analyst, Environmental Health, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA and Gino Marinucci, MPH, Senior Director, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA Monday, June 22: 2:00 – 2:50pm Ensuring Accountability and Sustainability: Using Coalition Building, Capacity Building, and Community Leadership to Address Environmental Health Hazards in the South Atlanta For the Environment (SAFE) Project Abayomi Noibi, PhD, Executive Director, ECO-Action, Atlanta, GA; John Steward, PhD, Professor, Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA; Margaret Hooker, Community Environmental Health Organizer, Eco-Action/Dirty Truth Campaign, Atlanta, GA; Karen O’Quin, ECO-Action Intern/MPH Student, Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA Tuesday, June 23: 8:30 – 9:20am The Case Against Climate Change Dan Dennison, retired Director of Environmental Compliance, City of Lubbock, Texas Tuesday, June 23: 9:30 – 10:20am The Science Behind Climate Change Dr. David Easterling, Chief of the Scientific Services Division, National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Asheville, NC Tuesday, June 23: 10:30 – 11:20am Effects Of Climate Change On Human Health: CDC Takes Action Dr. George Luber, Director for Global Climate Change, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC, Atlanta, GA Tuesday, June 23: 1:00 – 2:50pm Health Disparities and Climate Change Dr. Dayna Campbell, PhD, Associate Professor, Allen University, SC and Lesley Joseph, University of South Carolina, SC
THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY In these educational sessions, explore how smart growth initiatives can be interwoven with public health to make cities and indoor environments more liveable and environmentally friendly for citizens. Additionally, investigate issues with the indoor environment and "green" building.	Sunday, June 21: 1:00 – 1:50pm Community Planning Through the Eyes of Environmental Health Wade Sparkman, Director, Environmental Health, Florida Dept. of Health, Fernandina Beach, FL Sunday, June 21: 2:00 – 2:50pm Sustainable Public Health: The Florida Experience Sandra Whitehead, PhD, Environmental Health Public Health, Planner, Florida Dept. of Health, Tallahassee, FL Sunday, June 21: 3:00 – 3:50pm Mega Cities, Environmental Public Health, and Sustainability May L. Samuel, PhD, Director, Environmental Health Sciences and Public Health, Allen University, Columbia, SC Sunday, June 21: 4:00 – 4:50pm Moderated Roundtable Discussion: Sustainability and the Built Environment Wade Sparkman, Director, Environmental Health, Florida Dept. of Health, Fernandina Beach, FL; Sandra Whitehead, PhD, Environmental Health Public Health, Planner, Florida Dept. of Health, Tallahassee, FL; May L. Samuel, PhD, Director, Environmental Health Sciences and Public Health, Allen University, Columbia, SC Monday, June 22: 1:00 – 1:50pm EPA Recycling Tool Kit Rhonda Rollins, MEM, Team Leader, WasteWise and Municipal Government Toolkit, EPA Region 4, GA; Robin Billings, Environmental Scientist, RCRA Division, EPA Region 4, Atlanta, GA Monday, June 22: 3:00 – 3:50pm Sustainability and UL: A Growing Partnership Al Ramirez, Regulatory Services Manager, Underwriters Laboratory, Northbrook, IL Tuesday, June 23: 8:30 – 9:20am Green Buildings, Indoor Air Quality, and Health Paula Schenck, MPH, Assistant Director, Center for Indoor Environments and Health, University of Connecticut Health Center, Storrs, CT Tuesday, June 23: 9:30 – 10:20am The Healthy Homes Partnership Project Laura B. Booth, Administrator, Outreach Programs, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University, Auburn, AL; Sandy Wiggins, PhD, Extension Specialist, Environmental Health & Housing, Dept. of 4-H Youth Development and Family Tuesday, June 23: 2:00 – 2:50pm The Effect of Green Rehabilitation of Low Income Housing on Children’s Environmental Health: Recent Findings from Minnesota and Washington DC Susan Aceti, Program Manager, National Center for Healthy Housing, Columbia, MD Wednesday, June 24: 9:30 – 10:20am Radon: the Forgotten Menace Henry Slack, MS, Indoor Air Coordinator, EPA Region 4, Atlanta, GA; Patsy Brooks, Radon Program Manager, EPA Region 4, Atlanta, GA
SUSTAINABILITY VERSUS FOOD SAFETY Attend these educational sessions for discussion around the efforts citizens are making to "green" their food consumption. Also learn about the latest efforts to "green" pest control in the area of food safety and preparation.	Monday, June 22: 1:00 – 2:00pm It’s Not Easy Being Green: Exploring Sustainability in Food Safety Monday, June 22: 2:00 – 2:50pm Green Revolution Then and Now: Its Impact on Managing Pests Zia Siddiqi, PhD, Director of Quality Systems, Orkin, Inc., Atlanta, GA Monday, June 22: 4:00 – 4:50pm Bringing the Farm to the City: The Issue of Raising Urban Livestock in Response to the Commercial Food Safety and the Economic Crisis
CHILDREN AND EDUCATION Participate in these educational sessions to learn how sustainability principles can be passed along to future generations and about the "green" curriculum that is currently being taught in institutions.	Sunday, June 21: 2:00 – 2:50pm Students’ Perspectives on Worldwide “Greening” of Tertiary Education Curricula for Sustainability Isoken T. Aighewi, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD Tuesday, June 23: 8:30 – 9:20am Connecting Today’s Kids to Nature: Emerging Research in Children’s Environmental Health—Challenges from and Solutions to Raising a Generation Indoors Na’Taki Osborne Jelks, MPH, Manager, Community & Leadership Development Programs, National Wildlife Federation, Atlanta, GA