NEHA January/February 2023 Journal of Environmental Health

YOUR ASSOCIATION

 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Environmental Health Touches All Aspects of Our Lives

D. Gary Brown, DrPH, CIH, RS, DAAS

N ew is the year and new are the hopes, resolution, and spirits. All of us from the National Environ- mental Health Association (NEHA) wish you and your loved ones health, happiness, peace, and joy in the new year. ‘Tis the sea- son to enjoy the snow. As Linus Van Pelt from Peanuts said, “I never eat December snowflakes. I always wait until January.” In the New Year, environmental health professionals once again will be called on to lead the charge in developing solutions to address numerous challenges including climate change, emerging diseases, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), nanoma- terials, and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms. Environmental health professionals are the Swiss Army knives of the scientific community with knowledge of numerous scientific disciplines, along with evaluation, management, problem solving, collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution skills practiced from the laboratory to the commu- nity. In knowledge-based communities we are the “thinks” in the Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! children’s book by Dr. Seuss. Most people do not realize how environ- mental health touches all aspects of our lives. You ensure the energy facilities used to power our homes do not pollute the air, land, or water, while also keeping the workforce of the energy sector safe. When having their morn- ing cup of co‘ee, most people do not realize the role we play to ensure that the water, cof- fee, and creamer are safe. More likely they get their java from the local co‘ee shop where we are at the forefront of food safety. Accord-

to as the public health revolution, occurred between 1880 and 1920, before the advent of antibiotics, advanced surgical techniques, and many other medical innovations. These public health improvements were led by envi- ronmental health professionals who worked to ensure clean air, safe food and water, and healthy places to live, work, and play. Addi- tional areas where environmental health professionals have helped increase U.S. life expectancy include motor vehicle, work- place, school, and recreational safety. Many residents of the U.S. and other devel- oped nations do not realize the impact envi- ronmental health issues have on many of our global neighbors. The World Health Organi- zation (WHO) states healthier environments could prevent almost one quarter of the global burden of disease. Poor water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions cause 842,000 diarrheal deaths every year. WHO states that the reduc- tion of environmental risks could prevent 1 in 4 child deaths. In 2012, 1.7 million deaths in children less than five years old were attribut- able to the environment. As my fellow Ken- tuckian John Prine sang, “It’s a big old goofy world,” and we will need to work together to reduce the global burden of disease. One reason the public does not recog- nize environmental health contributions is that our accomplishments are measured in nonevents. The public does not think of the numerous lives saved by our measures including mortality from cholera from drink- ing water, bubonic plague from a flea bite, carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty furnace, or improper disposal of garbage that

ing to the Economic Research Service within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 55% of food consumed last year was done outside of the home, which demonstrates the increasing importance of retail food safety. If we were living in the early 1800s, many of us reading this column would not be alive, having succumbed to disease. Up until the late 1800s, poor sanitation and living conditions, lack of proper sewage management, inad- equate treatment of drinking water, poor vec- tor control, and no food inspection or garbage collection were the status quo. Due to the hard work of environmental health professionals, the U.S. life expectancy has more than doubled to almost 80 years with vast improvements in not only health but also quality of life. Unfortunately, most people believe medi- cal advancements—including vaccines, germ theory, and antibiotics—are the reason for the majority of the increase in life expectancy in the U.S. The sanitary revolution in the mid-19th century began the control of dis- eases related to poor sanitary conditions. The greatest increase in life expectancy, referred Environmental health professionals are the Swiss Army knives of the scientific community.

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