Your Health – Your Environment Blog Posts
Fireworks Safety Month!
The National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) at CDC supports #Fireworks Safety Month and recommends the use of hearing protection devices while participating in noisy activities this summer. Below are some examples of noisy activities Watching summer fireworks on the 4th of July Mowing the lawn Using a gas-powered lawn edger to manicure the lawn Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentUsing Data to Make Decisions and Inform Decision-Makers
Webster’s dictionary defines data as “factual information used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation.” This holds true at the La Crosse County Health Department (LCHD), an agency nestled between the Mississippi River and the bluffs of West Central Wisconsin. Here, data are a cornerstone to furthering policy and actions to improve the community’s Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPlain Language Past and Present, Part II
The Plain Writing Act, which requires government agencies to use plain writing in all documents, was passed in 2010—but the push to make writing clearer had been ongoing for decades. In this three-part blog series, Plain Language Past and Present, we highlight some of the interesting early efforts and events from the U.S. government website Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentIn Fond Memory of a Beloved and Respected Colleague, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.”
Chris passed away on Sunday, May 3, 2020. In tribute to him, this blog is a reposting from September 19, 2016. “I often used to feel like ‘A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court’ — an out-of-place urban planner among physicians, epidemiologists, and nurses at CDC,” says Chris Kochtitzky, an Associate Director for Program Development Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsThree Tips for Choosing the Right Hearing Protector
We live in a noisy world. Some noises can damage our hearing, leading to hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and difficulty communicating especially in background noise. Permanent noise-induced hearing damage is incurable. Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentInternational Noise Awareness Day – Wednesday, April 29, 2020
International Noise Awareness Day is an annual observance held on the last Wednesday of April. This global campaign aims to raise awareness of the impact of noise on the health and welfare of people. Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPlain Language Past and Present, Part I: The Legacy of “Gobbledygook”
Ever been confused—or annoyed—by stuffy, stiff, hard-to-understand writing in a government document or statement? You’re not alone. For this reason, the Plain Writing Act of 2010 was passed, ordering U.S. government agencies to write in plain English. To support the law, the government created a website, https://www.plainlanguage.gov/law/, featuring guidelines, resources, and before-and-after examples. There’s also Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentLegionnaires’ Disease and Water Management Programs
Rob Cole squints against the desert wind as he gathers his equipment and crosses the hotel parking lot. Another person diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease reported staying at this hotel. Rob, a Senior Environmental Health Specialist at Southern Nevada Health District, is investigating the case and preparing to begin a facility environmental investigation. Meanwhile in coastal Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentRenovation 101
3 environmental health hazards to consider when you “do it yourself” You’ve probably seen this familiar home improvement storyline on TV: Homeowners are excited about knocking down walls and transforming their property into the home of their dreams when (wait for it), they run into an environmental complication that requires expert remediation. Although many homeowners Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentAll Hands on Deck! Geospatial mapping meets outbreak control
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program (GRASP) and National Center for Environmental Health’s (NCEH) Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) produced a video that explains the vital role geospatial science and technology can play in supporting cruise ship outbreak investigations. The video (All Hands on Deck!), featuring Dr. Read More >
Posted on by Leave a comment