YOUR ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
With You Till the End of the Line
D. Gary Brown, DrPH, CIH, RS, DAAS
T hank you for the honor and privilege of allowing me to represent my fellow environmental health professionals as president of National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) for this trip around the sun. As Happy from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs sang, “You’re never too old to be young.” This past year has invigorated me regarding the bright future of environmental health. It is hard to believe my term as presi- dent is ending, but NEHA is in great hands with outstanding board members, sta, volun- teers, and members who will keep the NEHA ship steered not only in the right direction but also help our organization to gain steam. Time flies when you are having fun. I have enjoyed working with our sta, board mem- bers, and NEHA aliate leaders while meet- ing members from coast to coast. Although my term is ending, Captain America’s say- ing, “I’m with you till the end of the line,” rings true. U.S. President John F. Kennedy said, “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” I ask my fellow colleagues, what can you do to help NEHA improve our profession, which in turn will improve the whole wide world? Margaret Mead, an Ameri- can cultural anthropologist, is attributed for saying, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” The environmental health profes- sion is the second largest sector of the gov- ernmental public health workforce—we can move mountains.
health, handling threats such as environ- mental inequities (e.g., lead exposure), climate change (e.g., drought), food safety (e.g., baby food), safe drinking water (e.g., perfluorooctanesulfonic acid [PFOS]), and clean air (e.g., ozone). As you do your job protecting the public, please remember what Rosa Parks said (and also attributed to Marie Curie): “You must never be fearful of what you are doing when it is right.” NEHA Past President Dr. Priscilla Oliver coined the phrase “One NEHA” during her presidency. I would like to highlight the One Health concept. From the One Health High- Level Expert Panel et al. (2022), One Health is defined as an “integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and opti- mize the health of people, animals, and eco- systems. It recognizes the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent. The approach mobilizes multiple sectors, disci- plines, and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious food, taking action on climate changes, and contributing to sustainable development.” Globally, environmental health is recognized as a critical component for assessing and pro- tecting human, animal, and ecological health. I hope you will be able to join me for the second One Health | One Global Environ- ment Conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica, from October 2–6, 2023 (www.onehealth
I will continue to spread the word that environmental health is a hidden treasure.
Huey Lewis and the News sang, “They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating.” Environmental health is the heart of public health. Environmental health professionals, the Swiss Army knives of scientists, are stra- tegically positioned to identify and intervene to prevent public health issues from aecting local populations. As we do our jobs, please remember another quote from John F. Ken- nedy: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are cer- tain to miss the future.” Healthy People 2030 focuses on reducing people’s exposure to harmful pollutants in air, water, soil, food, and materials in homes and workplaces. The environmental health workforce will be at the forefront of this initiative, reducing and preventing illness to individuals, families, and communities caused by physical, chemical, and biological agents found in our environment. Environ- mental health professionals are scientifically trained and certified to not only identify but also, and more importantly, mitigate environmental dangers and promote alter- natives. We are on the front lines of public
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