Report

Charting the Rapids Ahead: Western Water, Climate Change & Public Health

Carpe Diem West and the Public Health Instituteʼs Center for Public Health & Climate Change talked with some of the nationʼs leading experts working in the fields of public health, water, and climate about what they see as some of the most significant areas of potential concern, with a focus on the American West. This paper highlights some of the common themes and issues that emerged from our discussions with these experts, and describes some questions for decision makers to consider as they address the potential impacts of climate change on water and health.

EDF report identifies companies in U.S. making chemicals called dangerous by EU

Hundreds of companies located in 37 of the 50 United States produce or import hundreds of chemicals designated as dangerous by the European Union (EU). As a result, these companies will be directly affected by controls imposed under the EU's new chemicals regulation, concludes Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in a report released today.

Nonprofit Minority Leadership and the Capacity of Minority-Led and Other Grassroots Community-Based Organizations

In December 2008, a group of nine wealthy California foundations, under the umbrella of the “Foundation Coalition”, announced new plans to invest in minority-led nonprofit organizations. This coalition was formed in response to Greenlining-led legislation that would have required foundations to simply disclose diversity data on an annual basis. Overall, the new grant making programs announced by the nine foundations will total $30 million over the next two to three years. Greenlining’s reaction to the announcement is mixed. While we are pleased to see foundations finally working together to address a critical issue for communities of color, we were disappointed that the agreement was limited to “capacity building” and did not take into account larger issues around equity and diversity. Most notably, there are no commitments to long-term operating support for minority-led nonprofits, which we believe is central to the empowerment of communities of color. Stay tuned for more reaction to the announcement in the coming weeks.

Women's Voices for the Earth releases new report on harmful chemicals in cleaning products.

Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) commissioned an independent laboratory to test twenty popular cleaning products for hidden toxic chemicals from five top companies: Clorox, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, SC Johnson and Son, and Sunshine Makers (Simple Green). We found reproductive toxins, carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and allergens, and none of these chemicals were listed on the product label.


National Parks and Hydraulic Fracturing: Balancing Energy Needs, Nature, and America’s National Heritage (Hydrofracking)

In this National Park Conservation Association (NPCA) report on the impacts of natural gas fracking on America's national parks, NPCA analyzed current and proposed fracking around seven parks and found that impacts are already occurring and are likely to grow worse unless the federal government takes action. The report includes current and potential impacts to parks as well as recommended actions to protect them.

Cultivating the Grassroots: A Winning Approach for Environment and Climate Funders

The goal of this National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy report by Sarah Hansen is to help environment and climate funders become effective resources of a strong and successful movement for change. The report argues that more environmental wins are possible by decreasing reliance on top-down funding strategies and increasing funding for grassroots communities that are directly impacted by environmental harms and have the passion and perseverance to mobilize and demand change.

A Nanotechnology Policy Framework: Policy Recommendations for Addressing Potential Health Risks from Nanomaterials in California.

This draft document addresses the new challenges that nanomaterials present to the policy and risk assessment process because of their unique properties. It draws upon lessons we can learn from past chemical policy experiences and other recent nanotechnology reports in making recommendations for California. There will be a public meeting to discuss the draft document and receive feedback from the Science Advisory Panel and the general public. All public comments must be received by May 5, 2010.

Lessons from the Grassroots

Lessons from the Grassroots describes how to successfully fund at the grassroots level, and articulates a set of emerging best practices around involving the community in guiding responsive, competitive grantmaking.The ingredients include being responsive, transparent and integrating the community into the grantmaking process. It also means supporting groups new to the foundation world, including one-on-one coaching of applicants and, after the grant is awarded, providing on-going technical assistance to ensure their success and help build their programs, capacity and impact.

Major CO2 –Emitting Nations Vulnerable to Ocean Acidification

A new Oceana study of the vulnerability of individual nations to ocean acidification reveals that six of the ten biggest CO2 polluters are likely to suffer most from the impacts of ocean acidification by 2050. Japan ranks first in the Oceana analysis of most vulnerable nations, followed by France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Australia. China and the United States, the world’s top-ranked carbon dioxide emitters, ranked 13th and 8th, in relative vulnerability to ocean acidification.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road in Building Products

This report by the Healthy Building Network describes the challenges of safely using crumb rubber, and suggests steps for industry to implement a reliable, and certifiable, screening process that could ensure that chemicals of concern used in tire production–-or gathered by tires during their service lives--do not resurface in the built environment.

HEFN Grants Tracking Report

 

NIOSH Ongoing Health Hazard Evaluation for the Gulf

On May 28, 2010, BP requested a health hazard evaluation of Deepwater Horizon Response workers. The sixth in a series of interim reports from this health hazard evaluation was issued September 13, 2010.

Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health

Amid the considerable research on how climate change may affect public health, one subject has received relatively little attention—the impact of climate change on indoor environments. In this report, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM) outlines the major climate-induced indoor environmental problems and recommends ways to reduce the health effects these problems cause. The IOM also recommends a number of specific actions for the EPA to take, in cooperation with other government organizations and the private sector.

A Common Agenda for Health & Environment

Nearly 100 leaders of healthcare, community development, environmental, labor and agriculture organizations began a conversation about the world we want to leave our children, and what it will take to get there within a generation. Over the course of a year, we developed A Common Agenda for Health and Environment: a vision of the future one generation from now, set Generational Goals to be accomplished by then, and chose priority actions to lead us there. The process of developing Generational Goals and holding decision-makers accountable to progress towards them have helped people, governments and businesses in other countries make major strides towards their visions of a sustainable future. We hope that this effort will contribute to similar success in the United States — where there is both urgent need and great opportunity for courageous decision-making by individuals and institutions — with the result of a new era of health and well-being for future generations and the natural world.

Faith and Food: Action Strategies for Healthy Eating

A new report by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, found that synagogues, churches and other faith organizations throughout the United States are building community—and healthier lives—by making healthy foods available to their members and others.

Faith Communities and Healthy Eating: Issues and Opportunities for Moving Forward in Minnesota

This report explores the potential for faith communities to be change agents in supporting healthy eating in Minnesota communities.

Proceedings of the Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility

Proceedings of the Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility: Executice Summary

The Collaborative Fund Model: Effective Strategies for Grantmaking

Collaborative Fund for Women's Economic Development - The Collaborative Fund Model: Effective Strategies for Grantmaking

Who Owns the Bioeconomy?

An exploration of who owns the bioeconomy.

"Mutual Neglect"--Mutual Fund Voting on Shareholder Toxic Chemical Resolutions

New report and press release available at the Investor Environmental Health Network's updated user-friendly website, www.iehn.org. Also see IEHN's latest (February) newsletter for analysis of shareholder engagements on PVC.