Eighteen years ago today, I woke to find my beloved daughter Katherine dead of leukemia almost certainly caused by exposure to mosquito spraying without permission or notification. I trusted my city, my state, and my nation to keep my children safe from chemical exposures we have known for 50 or more years harm them. But I was wrong to be so trusting.
Nothing can ever fix this for me, for us….for her. But I hope that by sharing our horrific experience, others will decide to do what they can to protect their own loved ones – and themselves. Many of us have been motivated to make significant sacrifices to protect our loved ones – and people as a whole – from COVID-19. We could outsmart the virus if we put our minds to it – ditto cancer. Consider that cancer is the number one disease killer of children, and killer of 21% of Americans overall; according to the 2010 President’s Cancer Panel, a very large proportion of those cancers could be prevented. That’s not including the huge number of children with ADHD, autism, lower IQs, birth defects, and auto-immune disease linked to environmental exposures.
So here are three mostly painless things you could do right now. No gloves or masks required.
Learn more: ask your City what they do for mosquitoes and lawns. Do they spray for adult mosquitoes or just use larvicides? What chemicals do they use? Except for a major mosquito-borne illness outbreak, adulticides should not be used, while most larvicides pose minimal threat to humans. Do they use cosmetic pesticides on public lands and in parks where children play? Decisions made at local, regional, and national levels are likely more important to your health than most individual decisions. Email me at jmkauth1986@gmail.com if you have questions or need help addressing your city government.
Nevertheless, do what you can at home: don’t buy or use toxic products like pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.), Teflon-coated pans, #1, #3, and #7 plastics, and tobacco. And see the full to-do lists for parents, healthcare providers, educators, and property managers below.
Finally, vote the environment, at local, state, and national levels. As we have seen with COVID-19, potentially catastrophic public health consequences resulting from disease, climate change, or widespread toxic environmental contamination can be most effectively addressed by individuals working together, represented by governmental officials who have the best science at their fingertips and the common good at heart.
Parents
Although it is not possible to avoid all exposure to carcinogens, neurotoxins, mutagens, and endocrine disruptors, daily actions can make a difference.
Avoid pesticides.
Eat organic when possible.
Remove your shoes at the front door.
Drink filtered tap water.
Buy wisely.
Reduce fossil fuel use.
Avoid tobacco.
Limit radiation.
Protect against excess sun exposure.
Speak out for greater environmental protections.
For more information, view our handout in English (Flyer 10 Things.9) or Spanish (Flyer Spanish.Rev) to learn more.
Pediatricians, OB / Gyns, Family Health Physicians, and Other Health Care Providers
Learn more about Children’s Environmental Health (Poster Resources for ProvidersBlank).
Participate in Pediatric Environmental Health Training
Consider how to talk to patients in a clinical setting (Buchanan 2012 clinical), what the potential obstacles might be (Stotland 2014 Counseling OB Patients), and why it is important (Trasande 2014 Pediatricians).
Draw on the expertise of EPA’s Pediatric Environmental Health Subspecialty Unit (PEHSU) at UIC.
Educate patients in English (Poster 10 Things 11x17.9) or Spanish (Poster 10 Things 11x17.Spanish.Rev).
Take an environmental health history in English (PedEnvHistoryForm_complete) or Spanish(PedEnvHistoryForm_complete_Spanish).
Advocate for greater environmental protections locally, regionally, and nationally
Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents
Learn more about Environmental Health
Teach children and parents about Environmental Health
Celebrate Children’s Environmental Health Day October 10.
Earn your Earth Flag from SCARCE.
Use only Green Cleaning to protect kids’ health. Avoid perfumes and plug-ins.
Use only Integrated Pest Management on site.
Avoid use of landscape pesticides
Use only asphalt-based sealants, not coal-tar sealants.
Campaign against buses and waiting parents idling in parking lots.
Advocate for greater environmental protections locally, regionally, and nationally.
Property Managers
Use only Integrated Pest Management on site.
Avoid use of landscape pesticides.
Use only asphalt-based sealants, not coal-tar sealants.
Follow the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program’s best practices.
Notify occupants of any potential environmental exposures.
