Category: National Center for Environmental Health

African American History Month: Environmental Justice and Quality of Life

African American History and Achievements To commemorate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on February 12, 1926. It was later expanded to Black History Month in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial celebration and has continued Read More >

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Searching for E. coli

It is 2006 and a woman lies in a hospital room suffering from severe cramps and vomiting. Her doctor has just told her that she has an Escherichia coli O157:H7 (commonly called E. coli) infection, a bacterial infection that causes serious stomach and intestinal distress and is sometimes fatal, especially in children and the elderly. Read More >

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Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Prevention

When power outages occur after severe weather (such as ice storms), using alternative sources of power can cause carbon monoxide (CO) to build up in a home and poison the people and animals inside. Learn more about carbon monoxide Read More >

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Help Prevent Foodborne Outbreaks with CDC’s Fun E-Learning (And See Our New Promo Video!)

The skills needed to participate in an outbreak investigation are different from those needed to inspect restaurants, and the role of environmental health staff is critical. Check out our short video promoting CDC’s fun, free, and interactive training on Environmental Assessment of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks. Read More >

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Tracking Program Maps Radon Exposure in Washington State

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon causes about 20,000 cases of lung cancer each year, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon can seep up from the ground and become trapped in buildings. The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon in buildings that have a radon Read More >

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A Year in Review: 2014

Arizona, BPA, arsenic, Haiti, American Indian/Alaskan Native Tribes, mercury, foodborne illness, Palau, epidemiology, contaminated water. What do these seemingly random items have in common? They all appeared in “Your Health, Your Environment” blog posts about NCEH/ATSDR staff in 2014. Our “Meet the Scientist” and “Voices from the Field” series aim to put a face on Read More >

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Top 10 NCEH/ATSDR “Your Health, Your Environment” Blog Posts of 2014

As this year draws to a close, perhaps you’ve realized you didn’t get a chance to read all of the “Your Health, Your Environment” blog posts. To help get you into full catch-up mode, here are the ten most popular posts of 2014: Staggering Numbers: Do You Know the Disease? Are We Getting Enough Vitamins Read More >

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CDC’s Tracking Network in Action

CDC’s Tracking Network continues to develop new and innovative tools to make environmental and health connections easier to understand. Earlier this year, CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Program’s “Tracking in Action” video series won the NCEH “Excellence in Communications” award for setting itself apart from other communications products with its high-caliber production quality Read More >

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NCEH Designs Criteria for Obtaining Sustainable Community Status

In a perfect world, every community will be a utopia. Can you picture it? Imagine a place where residents have plenty of peace and quiet, educational offerings, arts and cultural centers, jobs in a robust economy, civil engagement and participation, recreational offerings, and plenty of green space. Residents will breathe fresh air, drink clean water, Read More >

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Native American Heritage Month

Tracking Environmental Health Data about Native Americans “Data” is a buzzword in public health, but what does the word mean for the rest of us? Gathering data may sound like a snooze to non-scientists, but it is actually the beginning of scientific investigation. Whenever scientists and doctors are searching for the cause of a disease Read More >

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