EPA and NIH Announce the Winning Team in My Air, My Health Challenge

Winners developed a low cost, real time personal digital device that measures health effects of harmful air pollution

WASHINGTON — Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the winner of the My Air, My Health Challenge. The Challenge called upon innovators nationwide to design a small, low-cost sensor that integrates air quality measurements with related health data, such as heart rate and breathing. Such innovations will help EPA and NIH as they continue their work together to better understand, in real time, the impacts of harmful air pollution on people’s health.

Judges for the EPA and NIH challenge selected the team of David Kuller, Gabrielle Savage Dockterman, and Dot Kelly from among finalist teams. The award will be presented today at Health Datapalooza IV in Washington, D.C.

The winning team will receive a $100,000 award for developing Conscious Clothing, a wearable, real-time breathing analysis tool that calculates the amount of polluted air a person inhales. Estimates of pollution exposure result from how deeply the person breathes and how much pollution is in the air. This data is transmitted to any Bluetooth-enabled device, such as a cellphone.

“This integration of technologies represents a growing area of interest for environmental and health scientists,” said Glenn Paulson, Ph.D., EPA science advisor. “We’re at the edge of a technology wave where anyone can use these sensors – these innovations will help EPA better understand air pollution’s impacts on people’s health. The potential impact on personal health care and local environmental quality is tremendous.”

“With people wearing these new data-collecting devices, researchers will be able to see and understand the relationships between varying levels of chemical exposures and individual health responses—in real time,” said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the NIH. “This is a big step forward toward treating, and more importantly, preventing disease and illness. This is an exciting time in research.”

These types of low-cost, portable, easy-to-use sensors have the potential to produce a more complete picture of air quality and individual health in communities across the country.

More information on the My Air, My Health Challenge: http://epa.gov/research/challenges
Also, see the EPA blog.
Cross-posted from: http://epa.gov/

Symbolic Tug O' War Between Fossil Fuel Fat Cats and the Glorious Greens: Come See the Spectacle

GUERRILLA THEATER TUG OF WAR!

DIRTY FOSSIL FUELS VS. CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY

Mon., April 8th, 5:00 – 7:00 PM [Rain Date Wed., April 10]

Independence Mall - 5th & Market Sts.

Philadelphia

Join Sierra Club activists and others as we stage a mock tug of war

“Filthy rich” titans of coal & oil, with tuxedos and money bags

vs.

The forces of green energy:

people in lab coats, scrubs, or green hard hats; people from island nations, the Arctic; animals threatened by sea level rise, etc.

(create your own costume!)

In the middle, President Obama, weighing Renewable Energy or settling for “All of the Above” (including fossil fuels)

The stark choice will be made visible—will you be there?

Afterwards, free refreshments for participants at Soho Pizza, 218 Market St.

RSVP: William Kramer at william.kramer@sierraclub.org 732-589-8024 or Sue Edwards at sueedwards79@gmail.com 610-543-2986 with your costume plans

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This is one of our events to push President Obama to take action on climate change policies that he promised in his Inaugural Address. For more information, check out our previous blog post outlining our strategy to motivate Obama on climate policies.

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Stay in touch with us on Twitter , Facebook or, of course, right here on Blogger.

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Citizen's Hearing on the EPA's Carbon Standard June 19

On Thursday, May 24, 2012, concerned doctors, nurses, moms, and everyday citizens descended on Washington, DC and Chicago to testify at public hearings on the EPA's proposed carbon standards for new power plants. Medical professionals and public health officials agree that carbon pollution, left unchecked, will contribute to climate change and an increase in dangerous smog, which will trigger more episodes of respiratory distress in children and seniors. For the approximately 15% of Pennsylvania children that have suffered from asthma, this new standard, which will reduce pollution by 123 billion pounds annually, will also help reduce missed school days, missed work days, severe asthma attacks, and hospital visits. The EPA’s proposed carbon pollution standard limiting industrial carbon pollution from new power plants is critical to protect the health of our children and families.

Without traveling to DC or Chicago, you too can speak out in support of this critical public health safeguard. Join us at a Citizen's hearing on the rule here in Southeastern Pennsylvania. To date over 1 Million comments have been submitted in support of this rule! This event will be an opportunity for Pennsylvania residents to learn more about the new carbon standards, hear expert testimony, and have a chance to submit your own official comments to the EPA at the event.

Philadelphia Citizens' Hearing on EPA's Carbon Standard:

June 19, 2012

5:00 – 8:00 PM

Philadelphia City Council Chambers

Philadelphia City Hall (Market & Broad Sts.) 19107

Host: City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown

EPA News Release: EPA Administrator Jackson and Philadelphia Mayor Nutter Sign Landmark Green City, Clean Waters Partnership Agreement

(PHILADELPHIA – April 10, 2012) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, joined by U.S. Representative Allyson Schwartz and city and federal officials, signed an agreement that represents a $2 billion investment in Philadelphia green infrastructure during an event at the Fairmount Water Works.
Over the next 25 years, the Green City, Clean Waters partnership agreement will transform many of Philadelphia’s traditional hardened surfaces to green areas to better manage potentially harmful rainwater runoff pollution. This unique federal – city partnership is designed to ensure the success of the Green City, Clean Waters Plan and to present the plan as a national model for cities embracing green stormwater infrastructure. Green infrastructure investments make our communities cleaner, healthier, and more attractive places to live and work.

"The EPA is proud to be working in partnership to support green infrastructure advances that will lead to cleaner waters and a stronger economy for the city of Philadelphia. This city has earned a place as a national and global leader on sustainable innovation and clean water protection," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "The Green City, Clean Waters Partnership promises to lead the way for communities across the nation, which can use the lessons learned through this long-term project to protect their health, safeguard their waters and boost their economies."
EPA will provide assistance to the city in identifying and promoting higher performing green infrastructure designs, convening technical expertise from around the country to advance green designs and support a green design competition, and help remove barriers to innovation in the city’s plan. EPA will also assist on research and technical assistance, and monitoring the effectiveness and evaluating benefits of the program through cooperation on water quality monitoring and modeling work that the city has undertaken.

“The Green City Clean Waters Plan is our proposal to revitalize our rivers and streams by managing stormwater in a way that provides multiple benefits. It will result in clean and beautiful waterways, a healthier environment and increased community value. The assistance of our many and diverse regulatory and public partners makes it the most cost effective investment of its kind in the country,” said Mayor Nutter. “Where other cities are challenged by very expensive commitments for tunnels, tanks and other gray infrastructure, we have worked with the state and the EPA to take this greener, more fiscally prudent approach that will realize multiple benefits.”
The city of Philadelphia is leading the development of green strategies to manage urban stormwater runoff – the 21st century’s greatest challenge to the health of our nation’s rivers and streams. Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters Plan layers green technologies modeled on natural practices on top of the city’s 3,000 mile sewer network, Philadelphia’s 20th century investment in traditional “gray” infrastructure, to capture rainwater on the surface. Capturing rainwater prevents sewer overflows containing industrial and human waste from discharging to waterways during wet weather. It will transform streets, parking lots, schools, public spaces into urban landscapes that reduce sewer overflows to our waterways while enhancing our communities.

“The signing of this monumental agreement is a transformative step for urban environmental policy in the United States,” said Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz. “Philadelphia and the EPA's forward-looking collaboration on storm water runoff will help strengthen economic development, protect our drinking water and should serve as a model for cities around the country.”

Green City Clean Waters is based upon an adaptive management approach that will identify and maximize green practices that achieve the most efficient and cost effective environmental goals for the City of Philadelphia.

To view the agreement visit: www.phillywatersheds.org

Contacts: 
EPA: David Sternberg 215-814-5548 sternberg.david@epa.gov
Philadelphia: Mark McDonald 215-686-6210 Mark.McDonald@phila.gov

 

Purveyors of Poison

Republicans Attacking Mercury And Air Toxics Rule
Republican Senator James Inhofe has started the process to block the mercury and air toxics rule promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency in December. If successful, the Congressional Review Act will prevent the agency from ever protecting our air and waters from this dangerous poison.

Mercury Is A Poison
Uncontrolled mercury emissions are responsible for "up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks and 130,000 asthma attacks every year." In Pennsylvania, streams run with mercury and power plants are the biggest source of this pollution.

EPA Rule Stops The Poison
The mercury regulation will stop 90% of the mercury currently being emitted by power plants. This will bring the power industry up to the same standards being met by medical waste incinerators and municipal waste combustors. The rule will save up to $90 billion in health costs each year, far above the estimated $10 billion in costs to utilities. Furthermore, in 2016, the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards will yield between $1.8 billion and $4.4 billion in benefits in Pennsylvania.

Mercury Rule Will Create Jobs
Recent studies have found that the mercury rule is likely to create 1.5 million jobs. These studies clearly refute claims that the rule adversely affects employment.

Sierra Club Strongly Supports The Mercury And Air Toxics Rule
The Sierra Club spoke strongly for the adoption of the mercury rule. It urged its members and the public to take action in support of the rule.

Take Action To Save The Rule
The Sierra Club has made it easy to contact your senators and representatives on this important issue. Use its simple web form to make your voice heard. Writing to the editor of your local paper is also important. Contact Sierra Club's William Kramer, william.kramer (at) sierraclub (dot) org, for some sample letters and send him a copy of the letter you write so that we can publish it on this blog.

Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark Testifies At EPA/NHTSA Clean Car Hearing In Philly

My name is Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark. I am a Sister of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia, PA and an Ambassador of the U.S. Catholic Bishops Climate Change Coalition. I minister at Chestnut Hill College as assistant to the president for sustainability and as director of the Earth Center. Working with many other people of faith, I am here to urge you to keep the ethical and moral perspectives as a lens for your deliberations. Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you.

Protecting Air Is Moral Issue
As people of religious faith, we believe that the atmosphere that supports life on earth is a God-given gift, one we must respect and protect. It unites us as one human family. If we harm the atmosphere, we dishonor our Creator and the gift of creation. The values of our faith call us to humility, sacrifice, and a respect for life and the natural gifts God has provided.

As the U.S. Bishops said in 2001, “At its core, global climate change is not about economic theory or political platforms, nor about partisan advantage or interest group pressures. It is about the future of God's creation and the one human family. It is about protecting both "the human environment" and the natural environment.” Global Climate Change A Plea for Dialogue Prudence and the Common Good A Statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops , June 15, 2001
 
Since I am representing those who see this issue from a faith perspective, I want to be clear that I trust the Sierra Club and its scientific expertise. From their research I believe this regulation to be the single biggest step in our country to tackle global warming, therefore, I urge you to accept the President’s proposal without loopholes.

For more than 14 billion years, our Planet Earth has sustained itself and life as we know it. In my own lifetime, I have experienced a growing dependency on oil. From the millions of tons of plastics now filling landfills to the burning of fossil fuels beyond our imagining, the use of oil has created a dependency similar to an addict’s. As a result, our one precious Earth cannot continue to sustain life as we know it.

Our Responsibility To Future Generations
How irresponsible can we humans be to allow this phenomenon to happen? Earth is a sacred trust given to us by the Creator. As people of faith, we see this tragedy as a moral one. There are ways we can diminish the effects of our polluting the air by reducing gas emissions now. What would we say to the next generations if we know what we could do to effect change yet we refused to do it?
As we take personal and communal actions in our churches to mitigate the effects of global climate change, it is not possible to make a significant difference without your taking the necessary systemic action within our federal government. We call on you as our federal protection to approve the proposal of President Obama.

The amount suggested by the President is not enough but at least it is a beginning. Please think carefully about the consequences of your decisions. By the year 2030, the proposed standards would cut annual oil consumption by nearly 23 billion gallons, roughly equivalent to the U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq in 2010. Although this is not enough, how can we not do the minimum?

Great New Public Domain Source of Photographs from EPA/National Archives

The U.S. National Archives just released a series of photos, entitled, "DOCUMERICA Project by the Environmental Protection Agency." These photos from the early days of the EPA document pollution (or what needed to be protected from pollution). The Archives Flickr site has a selected group of these photos that are available on the National Archives Web site. These photos should provide a great resource of copyright-free photos for environmental bloggers!

For more info, see the New York Times article describing the Documerica project.

Seminar: Trashing EPA

The Sierra Club of SE PA proudly presents:

Wednesday January 25, 2012 at 6:45 PM
The Free Library of Philadelphia
19th and Vine Sts, 4th Floor
Contact: wbrainerd3(at)gmail.com

Professor Amy Sinden, Temple Law School, returns to talk about the attempt by some in Congress to de-fund and dis-empower the US Environmental Protection Agency, chief protector of clean air and water. Even President Obama has been forced to postpone new regulations clearly beneficial to public health.

Jeanette MacNeille of Sierra Club’s Pennsylvania Clean Air Campaign will speak about local efforts to support the EPA.

Pennsylvania Streams Run with Mercury

Join Us at a Rally to Let Senator Casey Know You Support Mercury Regulations

Mercury Fouls Over 70 Streams and Lakes

The Pennsylvania Fish Commission lists 75 streams and lakes that have fish contaminated with mercury. It recommends against eating more than two meals a month of fish caught in those waters.

Pennsylvania Power Plants Major Source of Mercury

When PennEnvironment reviewed the EPA's data, it found that Pennsylvania power plants were the second largest contributors of mercury. Only Texas contributed more.

Mercury Jeopardizes Over 300,000 Infants Each Year

The mercury in the blood of a pregnant woman affects the fetus within her womb. The EPA has found that over 300,000 babies are born each year with an increased risk of disabilities due to mercury exposure.

Sierra Club Strongly Supports Mercury Rule

The Sierra Club has spoken out against the mercury spewing from coal fired power plants.

Rally with us in front of Senator Bob Casey's office at 20th and Market Streets in downtown Philadelphia to support the Mercury Rule proposed by the EPA. Supporters will gather at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

Welcoming Overdue Mercury Standards

It's time for the EPA to stand up for kids.

By Mary Anne Hitt

As a mother with a toddler, I'm always trying to protect my daughter. From choking hazards to toxic household chemicals, from busy streets to steep stairs, there are a lot of dangers that keep us parents on our toes. Unfortunately, there are some toxins our children get exposed to before they are even born.

Mercury is a particularly harmful air toxin that spews from the smokestacks at coal-fired power plants into our waterways. From there, it builds up in the environment and in the fish we eat. It's a potent neurotoxin that's especially dangerous to children and embryos. Being exposed to mercury in the womb can harm a child's ability to walk, talk, read, and write.

Mercury contaminates fish, which can poison us. Just one gram of mercury deposited from the atmosphere per year, over time, is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake so severely that its fish will become unsafe to eat on a regular basis. Yet 48 tons of this deadly chemical are being pumped into our air each and every year from coal-fired power plants alone. It's the largest domestic source of unregulated mercury emissions in the United States.

The mercury problem is so widespread that, according to studies by the Environmental Protection Agency, at least 1 in 12 — and as many as 1 in 6 — American women of childbearing age have enough mercury in their bodies to put a fetus at risk of developmental problems. That means that over 300,000 babies are born each year at risk of mercury poisoning. These statistics scared me when I was pregnant and still shock me.

Thankfully, the Obama administration is expected to move forward soon with new, long-awaited protections from mercury based on recommendations from the EPA. Right now, there are no national limits on the amount of airborne toxins that coal-fired power plants can spew into the air. These new protections are poised to reduce mercury pollution by over 90 percent. But they're not in place yet.

Our families are paying for the costs of toxic air pollution with these sometimes deadly health problems, as well as unfishable rivers, lakes, and streams. Study after study shows that to protect public health, polluters must significantly reduce the amount of toxic air coming out of their smokestacks.

We need the EPA to protect us from mercury pollution with national limits for power plants. It's not just parents and grandparents who should care. If you're an avid angler, how tired are you of all the advisories against eating the fish you catch? Cleaning up mercury means safer fish, fewer cases of learning disabilities, and reduced incidence of heart disease.

Strong mercury standards will also help our economy. New protections can reduce the costs of health care for people sick from toxic pollution, and they can create jobs installing pollution-control equipment in power plants. Putting these national protections in place isn't rocket science.

In fact, most other industries are already meeting national mercury standards. Some states got so tired of waiting for federal action that they have enacted their own mercury standards for coal plants. The coal industry has enjoyed this national loophole for decades. Closing it is long overdue.

The EPA's mission is to develop and enforce much-needed safeguards to keep polluters from making us sick. Dirty energy corporations are putting their bottom lines before our children's health.

I know I can't raise my daughter in a completely pollution-free world, but I can protect her from the worst of it by encouraging the EPA to stand up for kids. We need the Obama administration to protect American families by holding Big Coal and corporate polluters accountable.

It's high time the government put mercury safeguards in place for our children's health.

Mary Anne Hitt is the Director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign. beyondcoal.org
Cross-Posted from OtherWords (OtherWords.org)