Recent News
New resources for Environmental Advocacy, introducing the Toxic Reduction Toolkit
We have been working hard to find resources for our members who face Environmental concerns in regards to pollutants in their communities. Recently, Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition has come out with the Toxic Reduction Toolkit to help guide community members through various aspects of the City of Toronto’s Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw and the ChemTRAC Program. Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition is a group that brings together individuals from a broad spectrum of expertise to address Environmental and social issues across the board. ONEIG has been working with the Environmental and occupational health working group to gain a better understanding of the advocacy roles nurses can play in the communities we live and work in. We have provided feedback in the development of this toolkit and support the efforts of this group and know this toolkit will be a great tool for our members in the GTA and all around Ontario. Click the Image to download and use the Toolkit
Note: Readers are advised to check the ChemTRAC website http://www.toronto.ca/health/chemtrac/index.htm for updates as the Toronto Toxic Reduction Tool Kit was developed over the course of 2012 and the beginning of 2013,which coincided with the release of Phase 1 ChemTRAC data.
Note: Readers are advised to check the ChemTRAC website http://www.toronto.ca/health/chemtrac/index.htm for updates as the Toronto Toxic Reduction Tool Kit was developed over the course of 2012 and the beginning of 2013,which coincided with the release of Phase 1 ChemTRAC data.
Great to see that so many nurses are practicing with an Environmental lens. Keep up the Eco-Friendly Actions!
A few words from Nurses participating in the RNAO's AGM. The idea came from on of our very own members to "drop in the bucket" an environmental action for everyone to share and see
Thank you for coming out to our AGM
Thank you for all of those who came out to our AGM. This year we featured a wonderful presentation by ONEIG Past President Chrystyna Kells entitled, "'Make No Little Plans' - Ontario's Public Health Sector Strategic Plan: What does this mean for Environmental Health?" A big thank you for the great presentation. We are looking forward to connecting with all of our members at future meetings and would love to hear from you. Contact us @ environmentrn@gmail.com
Join our team!
Our Executive Committee is currently recruiting for the following 5 positions:
(1) President-Elect, (2) Communications ENO, (3) Financial ENO, (4) Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment (CNHE) Liaison, and (5) Student Representative. Terms are two years in length. Having a passion for environmental health is the greatest asset, and students are welcome to apply for any position. If interested, please send a short biography to environmentrn@gmail.com by Friday April 12th a 1600.
Environmental Determinants of Health
Environmental Determinants of Health Evidence of the connection between the environment and health is well-established. World Health Organization data suggests that environmental factors account for 24 per cent of the world’s burden of disease and 23 per cent of all deaths. Costs to human health are higher in developing countries, but environmental factors have a significant impact here in Ontario. For example, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) concludes that 9,500 deaths per year in Ontario are attributable to a limited number of air pollutants.
Evidence in both Canada and elsewhere shows that these impacts are disproportionately borne by those with the lowest incomes, particularly Aboriginal and racialized communities. This is particularly true at the global level with climate change. The most vulnerable people in developing countries are at greatest risk of harm from environmental degradation. In Canada, dozens of Aboriginal communities with contaminated water are under “Boil Water Advisories.”
Environmental protection is not only a matter of health, therefore, but also of social justice and equity. Environmental rights – clean air and safe water – must be recognized as human rights. Given the seriousness of consequences of environmental pollution, it is essential that we take a precautionary approach to protecting human health and the environment. When an activity threatens harm to human or environmental health, precautionary measures must be taken even if a conclusive cause and effect relationship has not been fully established scientifically.
In addition to the health and social costs, the economic costs of inaction on environmental determinants of health are high. To take just four environmentally related outcomes – diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, neurodevelopmental effects and hypothyroidism, and neurodevelopmental
effects and IQ deficits – the total economic and health burden on Ontario is estimated at up to $10 billion.-RNAO
Evidence in both Canada and elsewhere shows that these impacts are disproportionately borne by those with the lowest incomes, particularly Aboriginal and racialized communities. This is particularly true at the global level with climate change. The most vulnerable people in developing countries are at greatest risk of harm from environmental degradation. In Canada, dozens of Aboriginal communities with contaminated water are under “Boil Water Advisories.”
Environmental protection is not only a matter of health, therefore, but also of social justice and equity. Environmental rights – clean air and safe water – must be recognized as human rights. Given the seriousness of consequences of environmental pollution, it is essential that we take a precautionary approach to protecting human health and the environment. When an activity threatens harm to human or environmental health, precautionary measures must be taken even if a conclusive cause and effect relationship has not been fully established scientifically.
In addition to the health and social costs, the economic costs of inaction on environmental determinants of health are high. To take just four environmentally related outcomes – diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, neurodevelopmental effects and hypothyroidism, and neurodevelopmental
effects and IQ deficits – the total economic and health burden on Ontario is estimated at up to $10 billion.-RNAO
