ASPIRE Center Newsletter
Welcome! Please enjoy the latest news and updates from our center!
|
|
|
|
August is National Water Quality Month!
August is National Water Quality Month! This month is dedicated to appreciating the clean water available to us. From our tap to our rivers, lakes, and oceans. It is also about protecting our precious water sources that are essential to all life on earth. Did you know that over 70% of the planet is covered by water? However, not all communities can freely access clean drinking water due to pollution and the impact of climate change. As the warm weather urges you to spend time outdoors, consider ways to reduce your impact on water sources.
- Can you limit your use of single-use plastics that end up in our oceans?
- Can you limit your use of pesticides around your home and garden?
- Can you choose reef-safe and mineral-based sunscreens?
|
|
|
|
What Are Toxic Algae Blooms?
Why were Portland residents and visitors recently warned about the risk of toxic algae bloom along certain rivers? Algae blooms can release toxins into the water that can be harmful to humans and animals, including skin rash, fever, dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Kids and pets have the greatest risk of becoming sick from exposure. Toxins CANNOT be removed with boiling or camping-style water filters. The safest option is to avoid contact with the affected water source.
Be sure to check current cyanobacteria advisories before heading to your local rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and campgrounds this summer! And since monitoring can be limited, be sure to look for signs of algae bloom (water that is foamy, scummy, paint-like, pea-green, blue-green, or brownish red) before going into the water.
For more information visit: CDC | Avoid Harmful Algae and Cyanobacteria
|
|
Wildfire Smoke: Steps to Create a Clean Room
Wildfire Season is upon us! Make sure you know the steps to create a clean room to help protect you and your family from the effects of wildfire smoke.
Get a copy of our Wildfire Smoke: Create a Clean Room flyer to learn the 6 steps for creating a clean indoor air space!
|
|
|
|
|
Outdoor play and sports are great for kids' physical and mental health. But during wildfire season being active outdoors can increase kids' exposure to wildfire smoke. Kids with asthma or other underlying health conditions are especially sensitive to the effects of wildfire smoke. Make sure you know when to play it safe and adjust outdoor activities for kids during wildfire season!
|
|
|
Looking Ahead?
The ASPIRE Center is looking forward to co-sponsoring and attending the Children's Environmental Health and Research Translation (CEHRT) Centers Annual Meeting next month in Washington, DC. The annual meeting is an exciting opportunity to get to know members from the other CEHRT Centers, our NIEHS program officers, and our Coordinating Center the Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN). The in-person meeting will support working together to strengthen and promote the CEHRT Centers and offer opportunities to collaborate with other researchers to help improve kids' health where they live, learn, and play!
|
|
Oregon State University’s Advancing Science, Practice, Programming and Policy in Research Translation for Children's Environmental Health (ASP3IRE) Center is proud to be one of six centers in the United States funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to develop strategies to translate key children’s environmental health research findings to relevant stakeholders.
We are a dedicated, cross-disciplinary team working together to improve children’s health and wellbeing. Our efforts focus on accelerating the adoption of evidence-informed policies, programs, and practices that can reduce harmful environmental exposures where children live, learn, and play.
|
|
|
|
