SEHN Brings Ecological Medicine into the Mainstream

April/May 2013

Dear Friend,Spring is blooming at SEHN! SEHN's Ecological Medicine program, led by Dr. Ted Schettler, has shifted national action on health and disease. SEHN connects the health of our bodies to the health of our families, communities, ecosystems, and society. We look beyond single factors to show how multiple stressors -- including poverty, racism, diet, exposure to pollutants, and others -- influence health across the life cycle. This analysis applies to individuals, but also at the community level and even beyond to society as a whole.SEHN’s systems-focused approach has been highlighted in Yes! Magazine, the Boston Globe, and The Wall Street Journal. And we are seeing change happen on the ground. Asthma Conference: Earlier this month, Ted Schettler helped plan and spoke at "Primary Prevention of Asthma: A Symposium on Current Evidence, Research Needs, and Opportunities for Action," a major health conference in Boston. He talked about SEHN’s multi-factorial approach to understanding disease, integrating research across disciplines including individual, social, nutritional, and ecologic variables throughout life. Environmental Health Trainings: We're excited about the environmental health trainings Ted has led in collaboration with Commonweal, a non-profit environment and health research institute. These trainings focus on reproductive health, breast cancer, and healthy aging, and incorporate SEHN's ecological model of health. One of the training participants wrote, "your environmental health training opened my eyes to the possibility that I might be an advocate for a cleaner, safer world…I have used your training to support the launch of an organization that I believe will improve the environmental health of all of our children and grandchildren. The dedication and devotion of Ted Schettler…impelled me to take steps to get his message to a larger audience." Ecology of Breast Cancer Report: This summer, we will release a new report on the ecology of breast cancer, outlining what we know about modifiable risk factors for breast cancer and how they interact. This major new work highlights how to prevent the disease, and also what can be done to improve outcomes after diagnosis, in addition to conventional therapy. Stay tuned for more information! We're proud that SEHN can play an important role in the environmental health movement. NGO allies, government agency staff, journalists, and others regularly turn to SEHN staff for expertise and advice. And our work is enriched by collaborations with many NGO allies, including the Collaborative on Health and Environment, HealthCare Without Harm, and the Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Coalition.We love to hear from you! Let us know what you think of this work, and thank you for your support!Here’s to a healthier future.All the Best, Katie Silberman Associate Director Science and Environmental Health Network Please consider a tax-deductible donation to support our important work to protect Future Generations!
Upcoming EventsMay 7th-9th Ted Schettler will be speaking at an environmental health training about ecological health across the lifespan at Commonweal.The Second Women's Congress for Future Generations will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota in September 2014. Stay tuned for more details!
Keystone Pipeline Violates the Rights of Present and Future GenerationsSEHN Executive Director Carolyn Raffensperger gave a statement warning that the proposed Keystone Pipeline threatens both Present and Future Generations at the U.S. Department of State hearing in Grand Island, Nebraska.
Responding to Public Threats SEHN Board Member Rebecca Altman poignantly describes how we respond to public threats.
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Coalition Each month, we'll feature an organization we work with and admire. This month we're highlighting the Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Coalition.The Safer Chemicals Healthy Families coalition represents more than 11 million individuals and includes parents, health professionals, advocates for people with learning and developmental disabilities, reproductive health advocates, environmentalists and businesses from across the nation. The coalition of diverse groups is united by their common concern about toxic chemicals in our homes, places of work, and products we use every day.
Precaution Reporter: European Union Bans Bee-Harming PesticidesThe European Union voted to ban neonicotinoid insecticides because they're believed to be harming bee populations. These insecticides include imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam.According to Joan Walley, the chair of the Environmental Audit Committee of the UK Parliament, "we believe that the weight of scientific evidence now warrants precautionary action."
Join Us! Do you feel called to stand for Future Generations? Do you believe the health of our bodies is intimately tied to the health of our communities, ecosystems, and our political systems?Join with SEHN and become part of our community working for lasting, systemic change. Your gift is vital to continuing this work, and we are so grateful for your support.