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The Collaborative on Health and the Environment – Northwest |
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A Partnership Network for Environmental Health
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Mission
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment – Northwest (CHE-NW) is a regional branch of CHE National, a nonpartisan partnership of over 4400 individuals and organizations. CHE seeks to raise the level of scientific and public dialogue about the role of environmental contaminants and other environmental factors in many of the common diseases, disorders and conditions of our time. Participation is open to health professionals, researchers, health-affected and patient groups, advocacy organizations and indeed anyone concerned about protecting the health of current and future generations from environmental harm.
CHE-NW now has three state initiatives: CHE-Washington (CHE-WA), established in March 2003; CHE-Oregon (CHE-OR), established in February 2005; and CHE-Alaska, established in December 2005. We have learned that it is important to focus on the state level so that members can collaborate on educational and policy efforts that are unique to their respective state (or city or county within that state) and participate in face-to-face meetings more easily. Regional CHE Groups will each develop their own "flavor" and areas of interest depending on those involved.
Many issues, however, cross state borders. By sharing information between states in the same region, we can also enhance and strengthen our collective work. For example, colleagues in both Washington and Oregon have been working to implement the precautionary principle. Learning which strategies have worked and which have not in different places helps us to take smarter steps in our own cities and counties.
Many other "overlapping" examples exist as well, and for this reason, we have chosen to create the CHE-NW website to serve as an umbrella for our regional efforts—a site where issues that are clearly of importance to all of us can be highlighted. Meanwhile, the state CHE initiatives will continue to update their respective pages for members who want to know about specific activities in their particular state.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the state where you want to join for membership information or on the CHE National site and mention the state CHE with which you would like to engage.
Thank you for your interest.
Note: The website of CHE-NW reflects the emphasis and focus of CHE-NW. The interpretation of scientific information unique to the regional sites is under regional control and does not necessarily reflect CHE National's views. To learn more about CHE National please visit www.healthandenvironment.org/.
Environmental Health News from the Pacific Northwest
from Environmental Health News
Environmental Health News Archives
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Highlights
2011 Children's Environmental Health Forum
November 29th in Seattle
The theme of last year's free forum, "Stepping It Up Together", was designed to encourage and increase new opportunities for cross collaboration and to engage with partners who share the mission of protecting children's health. Open the forum page.
The Northwest Children's Environmental Health Forum October 1 and 2, 2009
CHE-WA's working group on Children's Environmental Health was thrilled
to host more than 300 participants at its Northwest Children's
Environmental Health Forum last week, October 1-2, in Tukwila,
Washington. A diverse audience participated including healthcare providers,
students, scientists, policy makers, elected officials' staff, children's
advocates, local citizens and more. Elise Miller, national director of CHE, opened the
event with a speech emphasizing the importance of scientific research on the
environmental factors impacting our children's health and intellectual potential. Ted
Schettler, MD, science director for the Science and Environmental Health Network,
framed environmental factors in the broader context of social and economic stresses that
together exacerbate children's ability to reach their full potential. Other plenary speakers
shared the latest research on environmental factors linked to learning and developmental
delays, autism, endocrine systems, and impacts that can be passed down through
several generations in a family.
The second day of the forum focused on policy opportunities to better protect children's
health. CHE-WA was honored to host Ron Sims, the new Undersecretary for Housing and
Urban Development, and Martha Berger, EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection,
offering perspectives on national efforts to protect children's environmental health.
To learn more about the forum (slides and other materials will be posted within a
month), or to join CHE-WA's children's environmental health working group, please see the Forum web page.
Resources: Ways to protect the very young from toxic chemicals
What do we really know about how our children are affected by toxic exposures, especially during their critical developmental years?
Visit this searchable database and find more information on every topic covered in the 2009 Northwest Children’s Environmental Health Forum.
If you are a:
- Health professional
- Parent
- Builder
- Agency worker
- School official
- Policy maker
- Homeowner
- Pregnant woman
- Child care provider
This resource will provide the latest information to help protect the developing child from the effects of harmful environmental exposures.
Limit or expand your search with six categories, including languages.
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CHE-Washington
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment – Washington (CHE-WA), established originally as CHE-Northwest in 2003, is a state network of over 270 researchers, healthcare providers, health-affected groups, environmental health and justice advocates and other concerned citizens committed to addressing environmental health issues linked to chronic health concerns in Washington State. Our overarching goal is to promote the cross-pollination of ideas and opportunities between different sectors concerned with environmental contributors to chronic health problems in order to create a safe and healthy future for all in the Northwest.
CHE-WA meets face-to-face four to five times a year. During these meetings, we highlight emerging science in the environmental health field, share information on our respective activities, incubate new ideas and opportunities, and invite partners to present on a particular environmental health theme.
CHE-WA currently has three working groups:
- the Precautionary Principle Working Group
- the Research and Information Working Group
- the Environmental Justice Working Group
For more information, please visit the CHE-Washington website or contact Steve Gilbert,
sgilbert@innd.org.
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CHE-Oregon
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment$#8212;Oregon (CHE-OR) is a regional group which first met on February 3, 2005, when nearly 100 researchers, health care practitioners, advocacy groups, funders and concerned individuals gathered at Doernbecher Children's Hospital at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). The Oregon Environmental Council, in partnership with the OHSU Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and the OHSU Prevention Research Center hosted this initial meeting.
The CHE-OR listserv is for the purposes of sharing new research, upcoming events and policy/regulatory initiatives related to environmental health issues in the Northwest.
We welcome all interested CHE Partners. For more information on how you can get involved in CHE-OR, Visit the CHE-Oregon website or contact Oregon Environmental Council at info@oeconline.org.
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CHE-Alaska
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE)-Alaska formed as a regional group in December 2005 following the Alaska Conference on Health and the Environment. We invite participation from health care professionals, researchers, health-affected and patient groups, students, educators, advocacy organizations, and any individual concerned about protecting the health of current and future generations from environmental harm.
Visit the CHE-Alaska website.
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