Comments on: One Prescription for Healthier Brownfield Communities – A Community Clinic Please! http://blog.epa.gov/ej/2012/10/community-clinic-please/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=community-clinic-please Environmental Justice in Overburdened Communities Sat, 18 May 2013 20:18:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Aging and Sustainabiltiy Monthly E-Newsletter « Informailator http://blog.epa.gov/ej/2012/10/community-clinic-please/#comment-171 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Aging and Sustainabiltiy Monthly E-Newsletter « Informailator Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:18:58 +0000 http://blog.epa.gov/ej/?p=891#comment-171 [...] Do you Live in a Medically Underserved Community? [...]

]]> By: Maria http://blog.epa.gov/ej/2012/10/community-clinic-please/#comment-170 Maria Sun, 07 Oct 2012 03:48:48 +0000 http://blog.epa.gov/ej/?p=891#comment-170 Great Blog….. All communities more access to affordable health care and facilities. I’m glad to see that their is an emphasis on the communities that need them the most.

]]> By: Master Melvin M. Lusterio http://blog.epa.gov/ej/2012/10/community-clinic-please/#comment-168 Master Melvin M. Lusterio Fri, 05 Oct 2012 08:54:34 +0000 http://blog.epa.gov/ej/?p=891#comment-168 The Good Force be with you!

Yes, you’re right, Ann! We need community clinics for remote areas like this. Let the gov’t take action on this matter as soon as possible.

Live forever and prosper!

]]> By: Robert Murphy http://blog.epa.gov/ej/2012/10/community-clinic-please/#comment-167 Robert Murphy Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:52:17 +0000 http://blog.epa.gov/ej/?p=891#comment-167 Today’s “environmental justice movement” can trace many of its roots to the early initiatives for public health. A hundred years ago, the public health problems in industrial centers like Pittsburgh and in mining towns in the West were almost overwhelming. Low-income families worried about waterborne diseases, tuberculosis, basic safety concerns, etc. Read about the Lawrence, Massachusetts, textile strike in 1912 – and other moments in American history – for more information. This was the famous “bread and roses” strike.

Today’s problems? As the climate change problem develops, droughts, heat waves, massive power failures, and extreme weather events become more common. The summers of 2010, 2011, and 2012 have produced “environmental justice” crisis moments for millions of Americans. Hospitalizations and mortality for vulnerable groups – among the elderly and the very young, and for some occupational groups – increase during heat waves. Heat exhaustion, dehydration, and related problems, are public health concerns seen in community clinics.

We now have West Nile disease virus detected in Massachusetts and our Lyme disease season has been extended. And there are some other climate-related changes that should be mentioned… The Centers for Disease Control can provide you with more information…. Good news? Some of the environmental justice groups in Massachusetts are starting to respond to these problems. We had some presentations at New England’s Environmental Justice Summit in Worcester in June. Information was presented at the Labor Day gathering in Lawrence.

Electricity is a big concern. Families need electricity for refrigerators, home medical equipment, cooking and lighting, etc. However, many energy assistance programs for low-income people only function during the cold weather.
In Massachusetts, we’ve worked with hospitals, community food pantries, etc.,
to help get “power to the people” in every season. (An air conditioner doesn’t do much good if a family can’t afford to pay for the electricity that’s needed.)

There are many state and national reports that show the disparities in health. Asthma can be found in every city and town, but, for some reason, it’s frequently identified with children in low-income urban areas. Study the disparities.

As Obamacare develops, there should be new opportunities to work for prevention and consumer health education. Advocates for environmental justice and for occupational health and safety – the two are very close – should be involved with
national health care planning and the development of public health services.

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