Cancer Action NY works in communities to create community-based environmental health (EH) education campaigns.  We initiate an EH education campaign in a particular community by conducting a series of workshops for various community groups, including:  students, artists, civic groups, environmental groups, and the news media.  (Please see workshop description provided below.)  Workshops for students and artists include a poster making session.  The posters produced in these workshops are posted in public buildings such as libraries, college unions, county government buildings, etc.  As the campaign progresses growing numbers of community members use their writing, public speaking and artistic skills to join into the educational effort.  In this manner, the community educates itself.  Communities that have come to understand the connections between pollution and disease take action to protect the environment.

If your community is interested in coming together to educate, improve public health and protect the Earth, contact us about getting things started.

Cancer Action NY Environmental Health Education Workshop

The proposed workshop is on the subject of creating community-based environmental health education campaigns focusing upon pollutant carcinogens.  Environmental health education is public education on the connections between pollution and disease.  The educational effort is described as community-based due to the fact that various parts of the community, including:  students, local artists, civic organizations, environmental groups and the news media work together to provide information to the public in unique and inspiring ways.  In this manner, the community educates itself.

The workshop begins with instruction in the environmental science of pollutants that cause cancer.  Pollutants covered in the workshop include:  dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzene.  Dioxins and PAHs are air pollutants that bio-accumulate in animal fat foods, including, meats and dairy products.  PAHs and benzene are products of incomplete combustion present in gasoline and diesel exhaust.  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists open waste burning as the largest source of dioxin releases to the environment.  Open waste burning includes the burning of household waste in backyard barrels and refuse heaps, as well as agricultural burning of plastics and other non-natural materials. According to EPA, over 95 percent of dioxin exposure is incurred by consumption of animal fat. 

Secondly, cancer risk information is presented.  According to the US EPA dioxin reassessment, dioxin exposure cancer risk for average consumption of animal fat foods is 1 in 1000. Average exposure to PAHs imposes an approximately 1 in 10,000 excess cancer risk.  Large numbers of Americans are exposed to these carcinogens at levels sufficient to impose significant cancer risk.

Workshop participants are additionally instructed in strategies that will minimize pollutant releases.  The final portion of the workshop trains participants to work together as environmental health educators using their own particular skills as artists, musicians, public speakers, or writers.