tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54304425533327943932024-03-15T21:09:37.526-04:00Lessons of the 1937 Texas School ExplosionMake March 18 a day to tell the story of the 1937 Texas School Explosion. Inspire leadership to protect children from chemical hazards and unhealthy school conditions. Update your school's values and technical skills to live safely with 21st century chemicals and technology.Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comBlogger350125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-28354557235746310782020-02-24T14:28:00.000-05:002024-03-13T10:02:27.911-04:00<span style="font-size: x-large;">Hero 2020 Carl Weimer: The Right Man at the Right Time in the Right Place</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Healthy Kids Hero Award</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Every year, to mark the anniversary of the <a href="https://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html">March 18, 1937 Texas School Explosion</a>, I salute someone who demonstrates an extraordinary sense of responsibility and commitment to the safety of children and their communities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Healthy Kids Hero Award is an annual opportunity to remember the 1937 TX tragedy and to inspire others to take leadership for public safety, especially where gas pipelines, compressor stations, and other hazardous fossil fuel projects contaminate air and drinking water and put schools, families, and whole communities at risk for deadly explosions and fires. </span><span style="font-size: large;">(</span><a href="https://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/healthy-schools-heroes-2012-2011-2010_28.html" style="font-size: x-large;">Heroes 2004 - 2019</a><span style="font-size: large;">)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carl Weimer, Executive Director of the <a href="http://pstrust.org/">Pipeline Safety Trust (PST)</a>, is the 2020 Hero.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t4ZhLe7pfGI/XlQiGNkZvjI/AAAAAAAA-fA/GWAIrqbhPqwkHiVUzLTUUDCP6A0ctIhlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/%2528%2B%2529%2Bpst%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="113" data-original-width="720" height="49" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t4ZhLe7pfGI/XlQiGNkZvjI/AAAAAAAA-fA/GWAIrqbhPqwkHiVUzLTUUDCP6A0ctIhlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/%2528%2B%2529%2Bpst%2Blogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Over his long career Weimer has earned multiple awards from colleagues, community leaders, government officials, and other admirers including the 2015 White House for being the most effective advocate for improving the safety of nation’s vast network of gas and oil pipelines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Courage, Credibility, Community</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As important as all his accolades are, Weimer deserves the highest recognition and gratitude of the public and local governments for legitimizing the role of communities in the regulatory process. And, in his role as public interest watchdog, he achieves a high level of trust and credibility as he continuously champions a high standard for transparency in the pipeline industry and the regulatory agencies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One reason for Weimer’s effectiveness is his remarkable ability to humanize the deadly consequences of the pipeline industry’s ugly history, especially its repeated incidents of criminal negligence and poor management. He firmly believes that citizens should be able to trust that their government is pro-actively working to prevent pipeline hazards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://medium.com/@ellie.goldberg/hero-2020-carl-weimer-the-right-man-at-the-right-time-in-the-right-place-cf324df27ed1?source=friends_link&sk=f721041e2b4390e2b75066072eb33c46">Read the full article...</a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-77536609550206010022019-06-18T18:46:00.000-04:002020-03-06T17:47:56.933-05:00<h3 class="bp bq cn an co ao dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 2; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); display: -webkit-box; fill: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 25.2px; letter-spacing: -0.47px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; max-height: 56px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://medium.com/@ellie.goldberg/hero-2019-itai-vardi-investigative-journalist-expert-on-secrets-and-silences-9cc571e4ce40?source=your_stories_page---------------------------" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Hero 2019</a> <a href="https://medium.com/@ellie.goldberg/hero-2019-itai-vardi-investigative-journalist-expert-on-secrets-and-silences-9cc571e4ce40?source=your_stories_page---------------------------" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.47px; text-decoration-line: none;">Itai Vardi Investigative Journalist</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.84); letter-spacing: -0.063px;">March 18 is the anniversary of the </span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html" rel="nofollow noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54); background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.063px;" target="_blank"><span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-weight: 700;">1937 Texas School Explosion</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.84); letter-spacing: -0.063px;">, a gas explosion that killed more than 300 people, mostly students, in their new state-of-the-art public school where no expense had been spared except when it came to safety. </span><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/healthy-schools-heroes-2012-2011-2010_28.html" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/healthy-schools-heroes-2012-2011-2010_28.html" rel="nofollow noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54); background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.063px;" target="_blank">Every year</a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.84); letter-spacing: -0.063px;">, to mark the anniversary of this preventable tragedy, I salute someone with an extraordinary sense of responsibility and commitment to the safety of children and their communities.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t98_P5QrLKw/XQlnuXdO3fI/AAAAAAAA6b0/n-jqjJITEFA33WTND1xgDMCAw6JHTlUSwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/itai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t98_P5QrLKw/XQlnuXdO3fI/AAAAAAAA6b0/n-jqjJITEFA33WTND1xgDMCAw6JHTlUSwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/itai.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.84); letter-spacing: -0.015em;">Saluting Investigative Journalist Itai Vardi, </span><a href="https://medium.com/@ellie.goldberg/hero-2019-itai-vardi-investigative-journalist-expert-on-secrets-and-silences-9cc571e4ce40?source=your_stories_page---------------------------" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.47px; text-decoration-line: none;">Expert on Secrets and Silences</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Itai Vardi is dedicated to exposing the patterns of corruption and distortion in the health and environmental impact assessments and the permitting of fossil fuel infrastructure projects. He reveals how individuals and groups associated with climate denial or science obfuscation violate scientific standards. He doesn’t take it for granted that public officials and elected representatives prioritize community safety and health.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Vardi’s articles repeatedly uncover how officials silence the truth about hazardous conditions, especially in neighborhoods overburdened with contaminated conditions and high rates of cancer, respiratory and coronary illness.</span></div>
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<a href="https://medium.com/@ellie.goldberg/hero-2019-itai-vardi-investigative-journalist-expert-on-secrets-and-silences-9cc571e4ce40?source=your_stories_page---------------------------" style="background-color: white; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: x-large; letter-spacing: -0.003em;"></a><a href="https://medium.com/@ellie.goldberg/hero-2019-itai-vardi-investigative-journalist-expert-on-secrets-and-silences-9cc571e4ce40?source=your_stories_page---------------------------" style="letter-spacing: -0.003em;">Read full article ....</a></div>
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Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-19662843831984510392018-11-16T09:51:00.000-05:002019-02-24T08:29:10.341-05:00<h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I watch the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/usw.gasworkers/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARAID3yYiNUTED5OXthAN3XdDzuf1Wf5yOhEMXFHUSCqTz5m2M2ngJgyPgW9ml_K7szsCHcXsEGdfagY&hc_ref=ARRrxNlOTHDWPlnco_pzEN5m3AlFgRq2HPpQDtONma4173dBR8xsSOZowM7Fv5spNi4&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBdSJqPibvtqjk0B23u_m9rWVgSAb9Ka1ohwjReUasoLGadO1HUrHtQ6U8Z3C9plKYq2bhnfpI-n9hhvnKkcHpFyqxJzAL5zBahYTRZxkY-lcfF8HjUGOap5i5HANwlk5nOd2jSN674yTlhjFa35jfGM-aS0t9EGEuebOoNKNQsnN_lSJfCJWyGsFxM4xuJ8Iodb1zRvqZPIQ_un0YhLxhsWnRUGaOofACW2Vv9QQtJMl-Qtg8dbNieMcSJeXsQxBlu7n09EH6WOH2iY4VXHphOsaDwWz0sq0qdrjuMopk9e-oUzuMIi_VSddPGbN-Of0QxDyVH4diQa7BeddAPByUZ9Q">Usw Gasworkers </a>videos of replacement workers’ hazardous errors and read the reports of the utility companies’ flawed operations and the failures of state and federal oversight, I am reminded of the </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/What1937TXgas" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1937 Texas School Gas Explosion</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that killed </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more than 300 students, teachers and visitors. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/XZJfpZf8olS9tEIwT6hNaiPQmLM3TwxpLhTt6O5HLhULfD-SMhUHs0K00MJLErNIQkIJr8QTAyfU1Tomh0ofrJ9aq_ZtcInwGvlgd12-DeUspY-9PgIpyF7BXckqEyu_UlgT21cZ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/XZJfpZf8olS9tEIwT6hNaiPQmLM3TwxpLhTt6O5HLhULfD-SMhUHs0K00MJLErNIQkIJr8QTAyfU1Tomh0ofrJ9aq_ZtcInwGvlgd12-DeUspY-9PgIpyF7BXckqEyu_UlgT21cZ" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="230" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In 1937, school, town and oil company officials ignored warnings and agreed to look the other way as their unnecessary shortcuts and reckless indifference endangered a whole generation in a small East Texas town. Yet while t</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he Court of Inquiry identified a series of design, building and operations problems and unheeded warnings, they named no one responsible. They concluded that school officials were just </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"average individuals, ignorant or indifferent to the need for precautionary measures, where they cannot, in their lack of knowledge, visualize a danger or a hazard." </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Court of Inquiry, 1937.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today no one can claim that we cannot visualize the danger of our leaky gas infrastructure. Only those willfully blind are indifferent to the photos </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of explosions and fires in Merrimack Valley, the stories of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">death, injuries, devastation and trauma, and the system wide long-standing deficiencies such as those detailed in the November 1 </span><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/nation/2018/11/01/natural-gas-cast-iron-pipeline-explosion-fire-leak-safety-phmsa/1362595002/?fbclid=IwAR2gTJIQ-44m9Fn5talw3QWb-uq93mI0b-MSujd_K3CqHvFlEe5_Mj-D6Jc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">USA Today article</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The danger grows by the day.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> None of us can ignore the fact that </span><a href="https://heetma.org/gas-leaks/gas-leak-maps/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">housands of leaks in Massachusetts communities</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have gone unrepaired for years while the utility companies charge customers millions of dollars for the lost gas. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have learned that old records and maps of the pipes and turn-off valves, if they exist, can be dangerously misleading and inaccurate. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And m</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">any repairs do not stop the leaks. Even after ruptures and explosions are repaired, as in </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prince George BC and in Merrimack Valley</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the supply can be unreliable for a long time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The truth is that, even if the utility companies had enough money to replace all the pipes, which they don’t, there are not enough field inspectors to oversee the quality of pipeline work. They do not have enough qualified personnel to do the work yet they continue to lock out experienced union gas workers. Nor are Governor Baker’s appointments to the Department of Public Utilities diligent in their oversight of the utility companies. The danger is heightened by s</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tate and federal safety regulations and standards that vary widely and often are not enforced. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No More Willful Blindness.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The 1937 disaster resulted in a law requiring adding mercaptan as a warning odor to natural gas. As a result, in our own neighborhoods, we can smell the sulphurous “rotten eggs” when we </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">walk our children to school or take our dogs around the block or go out to pick up the newspaper. Sometimes the odor is so strong we can smell the gas as we drive by, especially where holes have been drilled in the street pavement to vent the fumes instead of fixing a leak. </span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Inspirational Leadership. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The growing grassroots organization </span><a href="http://mothersoutfront.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mothers Out Front</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has become a bold public advocate for policies and standards that respond to the threats of climate change and for accountability from government and corporate officials. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Breaking the silence. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212121; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rooted in a shared sense of unquenchable responsibility, Mothers Out Front state and community teams have built partnerships to fight for improved maintenance of the aging gas distribution system and to expose the health impacts of fracked gas all along the supply chain. Their ultimate goal is a swift complete and just transition away from fossil fuels and toward a future based on clean and renewable energy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewtonMOF/">Mothers Out Front Newton</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> applauds Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and City Councilors who have taken an honest clear eyed look at the dangerous condition of our aging gas pipelines and the inadequacy of the gas companies’ operations. Their </span><a href="https://patch.com/massachusetts/newton/newton-pushes-governor-gas-regulation-after-merrimack-valley" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">October 30 letter</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> calls on Governor Baker and the MA Department of Public Utilities to live up to their statutory responsibility and act immediately to s</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">afeguard our community.</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use Less, Green the Rest. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mothers Out Front Newton is grateful to our City officials for speaking up for the safety and sustainability of our community and taking meaningful steps to promote clean renewable energy and energy efficiency in City programs and policies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Lessons Learned. </b>Indeed, we can all visualize a livable future and must take responsibility for achieving it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~~~~~</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://patch.com/massachusetts/newton/newton-pushes-governor-gas-regulation-after-merrimack-valley" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Newton Pushes Governor On Gas Regulation After Merrimack Valley,</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 'We count on you to protect us from the risks associated with the use of natural gas,' say the Newton Mayor and City Councilors in a letter. Nov 1, 2018. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/What1937TXgas" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Lessons of the 1937 Texas School Explosion</a></span><span style="color: #212121; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-massachusetts-explosions-nisource/nisource-lapses-led-to-deadly-massachusetts-blast-federal-agency-idUSKCN1NL03T" style="white-space: normal;">Utility Company "NiSource's" bad practices led to deadly Massachusetts Gas explosions, says the National Transportation Safety Board</a><br style="color: black; white-space: normal;" /><span style="color: black; white-space: normal;">November 15, 2018 </span></span></span></div>
<br />Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-34999350500371358392018-02-21T15:29:00.000-05:002018-10-14T17:31:12.051-04:00HEALTHY KIDS HEROES 2018<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Healthy Kids Heroes 2018: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 32px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking Up for Safety</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8kL_E4CUv5s/Wo7jy_mdIOI/AAAAAAAAyio/WpvBl5g6ja8Kym1Ue3bfTuaRT1PeojUGgCLcBGAs/s1600/New%2BLondon%2BMarker_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8kL_E4CUv5s/Wo7jy_mdIOI/AAAAAAAAyio/WpvBl5g6ja8Kym1Ue3bfTuaRT1PeojUGgCLcBGAs/s320/New%2BLondon%2BMarker_cropped.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
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Every year, to mark the anniversary of the <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">1937 Texas School Explosion</strong></a>, I salute inspirational leaders who demonstrate an extraordinary sense of responsibility and commitment to the safety of children and their communities. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Healthy Kids Hero Award was created as an annual opportunity to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">remember the 1937 tragedy — a gas explosion that killed more than 300 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">people, mostly students, in their new state-of-the-art public school</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">where no expense had been spared except when it came to safety.</span><br />
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One lesson of the 1937 tragedy is that a safe quality environment </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">depends on champions dedicated to making safety and health a priority.</span><br />
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For 2018, there are three heroes. Each is known for effective advocacy and professionalism, the ability to inspire others, and especially for being compassionate, genuine and kind.<br />
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Their work illustrates the power of allies who share a sense of personal responsibility and purpose. They each contribute countless hours of professional and personal time as resources and mentors to their communities and colleagues.<br />
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<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><div class="gmail_default" style="color: black; display: inline;">
<a class="gmail-markup--anchor gmail-markup--h3-anchor" href="https://medium.com/p/aec35612c240/edit" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><strong class="gmail-markup--strong gmail-markup--h3-strong">Safeguarding Children and Communities</strong></a><strong class="gmail-markup--strong gmail-markup--h3-strong">.</strong><span style="color: black;"> Dr. Curt Nordgaard is one of the founders of the </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Massachusetts Health Professionals for Clean Energy.</span></div>
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</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong class="gmail-markup--strong gmail-markup--h3-strong"><a class="gmail-markup--anchor gmail-markup--h3-anchor" href="https://medium.com/p/70032e257c79/edit" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">IPM is a Team Effort </a> </strong><span class="gmail-markup--strong gmail-markup--h3-strong">Kathy Murray is</span><span style="color: black;"> Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist at the Maine </span>Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. </span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong class="gmail-markup--strong gmail-markup--h3-strong"><a class="gmail-markup--anchor gmail-markup--h3-anchor" href="https://medium.com/p/eee657f9255f/edit" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">To Make Every Child Feel Safe Every Day</a></strong></span><span style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;"> John Obremski is the Principal of Layette Elementary School, Everett, MA.</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul class="postList">
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Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-75390667613984120752018-02-21T14:24:00.000-05:002019-03-16T09:56:42.023-04:00<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES</span></b><br />
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<div class="graf graf--p" name="ff40">
Every year, to mark the anniversary of the <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html" rel="noopener nofollow noopener noopener" target="_blank"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">1937 Texas School Explosion</strong></a>, I salute inspirational leaders who demonstrate an extraordinary sense of responsibility and commitment to the safety of children and their communities. Dr. Nordgaard is a <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://medium.com/@ellie.goldberg/healthy-kids-heroes-2018-speaking-up-for-safety-79670389ee59" href="https://medium.com/@ellie.goldberg/healthy-kids-heroes-2018-speaking-up-for-safety-79670389ee59" target="_blank">2018 Healthy Kids Hero</a>.</div>
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Dr. Curt Nordgaard is one of the founders of the <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/MassHealthProfessionalsForCleanEnergy/" href="https://www.facebook.com/MassHealthProfessionalsForCleanEnergy/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Massachusetts Health Professionals for Clean Energy</a>, a grassroots organization working to raise awareness of the hazards of fracked gas and fossil fuel infrastructure and advocating for the transition to clean energy sources. Along with a rising tide of scientists and health professionals, they are calling for a comprehensive health impact assessment before new permits are issued and for changes to regulations and siting requirements so that public health is protected.</div>
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Dr. Nordgaard had already been giving presentations and speaking out about fracked gas hazards when Susan Lees learned about him. Lees was a member of the founding team of <b><span style="color: blue;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9be8a120-b0ba-0123-e180-b531fef691f1"><a href="http://www.mothersoutfront.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mothers Out Front</span></a></span>,</span></b> the coordinator of the Massachusetts Mothers Out Front Pipeline Task Force and a member of the Environmental Justice Team.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxqkIIs6PP0/Wo7kl15zBRI/AAAAAAAAyiw/q030qg1d2XUqGsH-8lNfNw0ubEHCpCDOQCLcBGAs/s1600/curt%2Bw%2Bdog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1334" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxqkIIs6PP0/Wo7kl15zBRI/AAAAAAAAyiw/q030qg1d2XUqGsH-8lNfNw0ubEHCpCDOQCLcBGAs/s320/curt%2Bw%2Bdog.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Caring and Committed</span></b><br />
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Lees recognized that Dr. Nordgaard was dedicated to advocacy in spite of the demands of his pediatric practice and young family. She approached him to talk about their shared concern for communities impacted by fossil fuel hazards and industrial pollution as well as her interest in getting more health care professionals involved in efforts to stop new fossil fuel infrastructure projects as part of our transition away from fossil fuels.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fJ5wEvbeHJo/Wot0hMzsUpI/AAAAAAAAydw/ZKgaTK1HA1MjcTiTrT5fi9yWSNPeELexACLcBGAs/s1600/CURt%2Bw%2Bbaby.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1012" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fJ5wEvbeHJo/Wot0hMzsUpI/AAAAAAAAydw/ZKgaTK1HA1MjcTiTrT5fi9yWSNPeELexACLcBGAs/s320/CURt%2Bw%2Bbaby.JPG" width="202" /></a>Together they reached out to concerned physicians, nurses and other health professionals and recruited them to form <a href="https://mhcpafg.wordpress.com/">Mass Health Care Providers Against Fracked Gas</a> in May 2016 (later restructured as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MassHealthProfessionalsForCleanEnergy/">Massachusetts Health Professionals for Clean Energy</a>). The group set their main goal — for the Commonwealth to conduct comprehensive health impact assessments before issuing permits for new gas infrastructure projects. They have been particularly concerned about the proposed Weymouth compressor station, a facility that would further pollute three communities on the South Shore including environmental justice communities. <br />
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By Sept 2016 the Massachusetts group had been in touch with another group, <a href="http://concernedhealthny.org/">Concerned Health Professionals of NY</a>, that had been working to report on the hazards of hydrofracking from the scientific and medical literature and to overcome the political obstacles to prioritizing public health.<br />
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The most engaged members of Massachusetts Health Professionals for Clean Energy started meeting with legislators, state officials and regulatory agencies. They have been testifying at legislative committee hearings, lobby days and demonstrations. <br />
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They teamed up with groups such as the <a href="http://www.nocompressor.com/">Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station</a> that has a growing list of supporters and allies among local, state and national officials, community and environmental organizations and colleagues.They share data, model policies, and resources. See <a href="http://www.nocompressor.com/flyers-and-resources">Fact Sheets and Resources</a>. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Finding a Better Way</span></b><br />
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In October 2016 Mass Health Care Providers Against Fracked Gas submitted a <a href="https://mhcpafg.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/mhcpafg-cover-letter.pdf">Letter</a> to state officials with a <a href="https://mhcpafg.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/white-paper-call-for-chia.pdf">White Paper</a> describing the Comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (CHIA) and its role in the review process for natural gas infrastructure projects. At a demonstration in front of a metering station in West Roxbury they called for a <a href="https://mhcpafg.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/mhcpafg_moratorium_3.pdf">moratorium </a>on major pipelines, new or under construction, “until the health of our patients, families, and communities can be adequately taken into account.” ( <a href="https://mhcpafg.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/press-release-10-11-6-mhcpafg.pdf">Press Release</a>. )<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CsLyikM-L0c/Wo3-wrj6U4I/AAAAAAAAyhs/FB3x4KrvseUdPhNuEhHiqNONjUkElFsBACLcBGAs/s1600/nordgaard%253Acocchi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="777" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CsLyikM-L0c/Wo3-wrj6U4I/AAAAAAAAyhs/FB3x4KrvseUdPhNuEhHiqNONjUkElFsBACLcBGAs/s320/nordgaard%253Acocchi.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dr. Michael Cocchi and Dr. Nordgaard</span></div>
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Press Conference, Oct. 2016</div>
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Dr. Nordgaard and other opponents of the compressor station hired an outside environmental testing lab to test the air quality at and around the proposed site. Results showed high levels of pollutants including eight toxic pollutants at higher levels than MA Department of Environmental Protection guidelines, including repeatedly elevated levels of benzene. Dr. Nordgaard also collaborates on a research study to identify chemical contaminants in natural gas.<br />
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The goal is “to make sure something happens with the data” and to advocate for regulations and siting requirements that do a better job of protecting people.<br />
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDm1gN4ozro" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;">Health Risks of Compressor Stations</a>,</span> 2:25 min</div>
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ReThinkEnergyNJ, (4/2017) </div>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/-3ZZm2y5imM?t=687" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>The Dangers of "Natural" Gas</b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=-3ZZm2y5imM">Natural Gas; Rethinking the Narrative</a>, 58:23 min. </div>
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(<a href="http://ma.mothersoutfront.org/arlington">Arlington, MA, Mothers Out Front</a> 3/13/2017) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Susan Lees starts at 8:53. <a href="https://youtu.be/-3ZZm2y5imM?t=687">Dr. Nordgaard starts at 11:40 min</a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">"</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbUi7y3BRxc" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Fracked Gas: How Safe Is It?</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">"</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; white-space: pre;">13:41 min </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; white-space: pre;">(Quincy Access Television, 1/2016.)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">______________________</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Gaining Momentum</span></b><br />
<br />
An intensive advocacy campaign included media releases, demonstrations, social media and ongoing outreach and education to build relationships with community groups, legislatures, colleagues and professional groups throughout the state and across the country. <br />
<br />
In July, 2017 Governor Baker finally halted the permitting process and called on state agencies to evaluate air pollution and public safety concerns.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Even down to very low levels, air pollution is harmful for human health, and that's even below what's considered to be a safe standard today...” “The state should be doing something about what’s there already -- not adding more of those pollutants with a new station. “ (<a href="https://news.wgbh.org/2017/07/27/local-news/state-reviewing-controversial-weymouth-natural-gas-compressor-plan">WGBH newscast 7/27/17t</a>: <a href="https://news.wgbh.org/2017/07/27/local-news/state-reviewing-controversial-weymouth-natural-gas-compressor-plan">State Reviewing Controversial Weymouth Natural Gas Compressor Plan</a>.)<br />
<br />
“In July, 2017 Gov. Charlie Baker notified Weymouth officials that he had directed state agencies to investigate issues that opponents have raised about the controversial project, including air pollution and public safety. Baker said the state will not issue any permits for the project until the assessment is complete.” (<a href="http://hingham.wickedlocal.com/news/20171023/doctor-says-natural-gas-from-proposed-compressor-could-ignite">Doctor says natural gas from proposed compressor could ignite, Jessica Trufant, The Patriot Ledger, October 2017.</a>)</blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Power of Partnerships</span></b><br />
<br />
January 30, 2018 In anticipation of the state’s 2018 air quality evaluation in 2018, Brita Lundberg MD, Regina LaRocque MD MPH, Susan Lees, <a href="https://www.bu.edu/earth/people/faculty/nathan-phillips/">Professor Nathan Phillips, PhD</a>, and Jessica Wright organized “<a href="https://www.bu.edu/earth/naturalgaspublichealth/">Natural Gas Infrastructure and Public Health: From Local to Global</a>.” (<a href="https://www.bu.edu/earth/naturalgaspublichealth/">Videos</a>)<br />
<br />
The conference was co-sponsored by Boston University School of Public Health, Massachusetts Medical Society, Massachusetts Association of Health Boards, Union of Concerned Scientists, Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility, Health Care Without Harm, Massachusetts Health Professionals for Clean Energy, and Physicians for Policy Action.<br />
<br />
February 2, 2018 Fifty-three Massachusetts Boards of Health signed a <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/blog/Final%20BOH%20Letter%20%281%29.pdf"><b>letter</b></a> urging Governor Charlie Baker to require comprehensive health impact assessments for any new gas infrastructure, to measure the effects on the climate and human health.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It said that fracked gas infrastructure <i>“increases health disparities, worsens public health, and makes poor use of our health care resources by potentially creating public health problems, instead of preventing them.”</i> </blockquote>
Some boards sent personal letters to the governor, citing specific concerns related to their community. The letter to the Governor and the list of local Boards of Health that signed it are <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/blog/Final%20BOH%20Letter%20%281%29.pdf">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Advocacy for Clean Energy</span></b><br />
<br />
Dr. Nordgaard’s work inspired other members of Massachusetts Health Professionals for Clean Energy to play active roles at the local and state level.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Dr. Brita Lundberg</b>, an infectious diseases physician and a board member of <a href="http://greennewton.org/">Green Newton</a>, was inspired by Dr Nordgaard’s March 2016 presentation at the local library about the intersection of fracked gas, air pollution, and climate change.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“We health care providers consider advocating for cleaner air and a response to climate change to be part of our professional responsibility as healthcare providers.”</blockquote>
Dr. Lundberg successfully initiated a resolution of the Environmental Health Committee of the Massachusetts Medical Society calling for a health impact assessment for new gas infrastructure.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Susan Racine MD (left), Brita Lundberg (center), </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Donna Dudik, RN, MNA (right) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">MA Statehouse, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">October 26</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">, 2017</span></span></div>
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In her <a href="https://www.greennewton.org/testimony-health-concerns-around-gas-infrastructure/">October 2017 testimony</a> at the MA Department of Public Utilities and at the MA legislature’s Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, Dr. Lundberg cited resolutions by several professional medical associations.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Because of these health concerns, the American Medical Association, the Massachusetts Medical Society, and the <a href="https://www.massnurses.org/news-and-events/p/openItem/10284">Massachusetts Nurses Association</a> have passed resolutions supporting legislation to require comprehensive health impact assessments prior to the construction of natural gas infrastructure; the Mass Medical Society further demanded that the health impacts of existing natural gas infrastructure be studied; they were specifically interested in the health effects of gas leaks, which affects all of our communities.”</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/UM7RQRz42h7CWIdR6qpRrwDBnU194g-EZCZpHbU-iHnX-NUCH8citL8N4xQ6LZ9bHTXQDtoxFQejI8U0HnLXtqKcLs9zFToTfXGPVnvY7JQrigCnOqvs4QiljgFuonaYBSnAiDGw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="168" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Dr. Regina LaRocque</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Dr. Regina LaRocque</b> is an Infectious Diseases specialist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She has a special interest in the impact of climate change on human health and the spread of infectious diseases.<br />
<br />
In 2015 Dr. LaRocque attended the first meeting of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/answeringthecallMA/">MA Interfaith Coalition for Climate Action </a>whose organizers included Lisa Olney, a volunteer for the community group, <a href="http://www.sustainablewellesley.com/">Sustainable Wellesley</a>. "Hearing Dr. Nordgaard speak about gas leaks and health hazards was a turning point. "I realized this was not just a policy debate, but a health issue," she said. "I decided I could apply my professional skills to my personal advocacy."<br />
<br />
Dr. LaRocque got more involved as Sustainable Wellesley was raising awareness of the local gas leak problem. In 2017 she was elected to the Wellesley Natural Resources Commission and spoke at a community forum about gas and human health. <a href="http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01662&video=307977">Forum Video</a> (Dr LaRocque’s presentation starts at 33:45 min.)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Raising the Alarm</b></span><br />
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Professional medical associations are raising the alarm and encouraging advocacy for clean energy and to expose the air and water pollution and environmental justice violations caused by gas and other fossil fuel infrastructure.</div>
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<br /></div>
May 2016 the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27089232">Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians position pape</a>r<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“We need to take action now to protect the health of our community’s most vulnerable members -- including our children, our seniors, people with chronic illnesses, and the poor -- because our climate is already changing and people are already being harmed.” -- <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27089232#">Ann Intern Med.</a> 2016 May 3. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27089232#">Climate Change and Health: A Position Paper of the American College of Physicians</a>. </blockquote>
<br />
American Medical Association (2015). H-135.930 Protecting public health from natural gas infrastructure, Resolution 519, A-15. <br />
<br />
Massachusetts Medical Society (2017). Protecting public health from natural gas infrastructure in Massachusetts, Resolution A-17 A-105.<br />
<br />
Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health (2017). Medical Alert! Climate Change is Harming our Health.Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-8908367763213784512018-02-21T13:32:00.000-05:002021-06-28T08:13:25.290-04:00<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">IPM IS A TEAM EFFORT</span></b><br />
<br />
Kathy Murray has a national reputation for dedication, expertise, and leadership. Murray is co-coordinator of the Northeastern <a href="http://www.northeastipm.org/working-groups/schools/">School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Working Group</a> and a member of the <a href="https://ipminstitute.org/projects/school-ipm-2020/steering-committee/">National IPM School Steering Committee</a>. The Northeastern Group is a regional group with representatives from land-grant IPM programs, government, private industry, and nonprofits from eleven northeastern states.<br />
<br />
The School IPM Working Group encourage partnerships with diverse stakeholders such as landscape, turf, schools, homes, structures, gardens, urban forests, and public health. Murray also leads the <a href="http://www.maine.gov/dacf/php/integrated_pest_management/school/index.shtml">Maine School IPM Program</a> that provides training and guidance to all public and private schools in the state.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Kathy Murray’s presentation, “<a href="https://www1.maine.gov/dacf/php/integrated_pest_management/school/training/documents/IPMCoordinatorsRole.pptx">The Maine School IPM Coordinators Role</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">," is one of the many resources she has created to help school staff meet IPM Coordinator certification standards and to implement best practices for reducing risks of pests and pesticides and improving indoor air quality.</span><br />
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The theme of her program is that IPM is a team effort. It reduces health risks and energy costs, saves time, protects property and the environment and solves pest problems sensibly, permanently, affordably.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C1CkjFHPjDE/WoyRoNnWjeI/AAAAAAAAyfc/L0a2rLjATCIBD5k8vM1Yccz2-ZkMO3UVQCLcBGAs/s1600/most%2Binsects%2Bare%2Bbeneficial.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="658" height="245" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C1CkjFHPjDE/WoyRoNnWjeI/AAAAAAAAyfc/L0a2rLjATCIBD5k8vM1Yccz2-ZkMO3UVQCLcBGAs/s320/most%2Binsects%2Bare%2Bbeneficial.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Legacy of Leadership</span></b><br />
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“Kathy is a preeminent person in New England and beyond,” says her IPM Working Group Co-coordinator, Lynn Braband, Senior Extension Associate for the NY State IPM Program of Cornell U.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"She has been a key member and leader of the School IPM Workgroup for its whole existence. She is the main school IPM outreach person for the state of Maine and her talents are used nationally. She is sought after as a collaborator. She recently received a grant to expand programs and resources for school nurses and was a collaborator on a grant to study over-seeding as a management tool on school athletic fields.”</blockquote>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JXWJ4zisCfY/WoyR6JPhPpI/AAAAAAAAyfg/e_DYBoDpvJM-lDcDpwrvKcC8vmhYl2CRACLcBGAs/s1600/HK%2BMurray%2Bsports%2Bfield%2B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JXWJ4zisCfY/WoyR6JPhPpI/AAAAAAAAyfg/e_DYBoDpvJM-lDcDpwrvKcC8vmhYl2CRACLcBGAs/s320/HK%2BMurray%2Bsports%2Bfield%2B.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">School Nurses on the Front Lines of Public Health</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SNaagRC5_pY/WoxDdaQfP2I/AAAAAAAAyfE/3Rar5wj23qAHcnx4Ak3whhmdGqbuv7C0ACLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-02-20%2Bat%2B10.45.05%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="493" height="156" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SNaagRC5_pY/WoxDdaQfP2I/AAAAAAAAyfE/3Rar5wj23qAHcnx4Ak3whhmdGqbuv7C0ACLcBGAs/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-02-20%2Bat%2B10.45.05%2BAM.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Credit </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Maine Forest Service</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Murray’s work with school nurses is described in a recent article in <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019MBHQu4oUrS4j9Sw3iQmYLJvGgTXLQUrdUOCrd77dyayNj8Ov4-mBsBg9xJxLPnhzq4qrMmDrtvhldoqzMLlfGcFc0ieWENf9FUcaBrI1ffKgLnpa5fbcfjoGpEXbTpw4CoDdYGHZWD701P5ef5TLJr49tshNt67A7rIt59WWLtl1RuxvZ6NS168fYeatPROmB8bsJ9C9kVNcjY9VJJQJo389E_SeAfvUTcPFJ3EN8DxO59_-x1KY7QzdiLjIjslkj-ZrdF4CsuNew5kAq735gOBi5GntKgancOWkobxPgzWa9o0lHRdFKxRBbkDgIzU_T-wzdh51_w6zovPvsQ5MoixyCd3-6vkO-tItu2f6kfF8XR9btmUjNkzBMMRSyTdFlNt4CbgbTZC_hXoM-r4SH9Bqxh3pfN02cChJ56E6wL5-C72x2VQxqG0fto4OfTa8Lc1i8oA-nxoHiqwVtLtQntpXDvgxy5NGfX0ImTab0cITScLVvghdZm4dtlEC1oL6aozLPrF9uqAfxBattZavY7RRE5IT-dJSBMLQHO0a732HJKk3mBjESNHmv3ohqzIXUWBtyWYokz50KA30W_Fk9b3SwfxePqWdXI_CxhmuTZ4vIDP8uWW6ItmyBxbf0-I&c=6o8BzRHUad841K94U_k_b4biU-dfRx9xDilhAnbjSlSKyv_VUj6RxA==&ch=rw-2SBBzX47FuxIqX-6J81LUENql4FKOqASL1p7xz-7_wQxLIhPkXA==">EntomologyToday</a>, <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019MBHQu4oUrS4j9Sw3iQmYLJvGgTXLQUrdUOCrd77dyayNj8Ov4-mBsBg9xJxLPnhzq4qrMmDrtvhldoqzMLlfGcFc0ieWENf9FUcaBrI1ffKgLnpa5fbcfjoGpEXbTpw4CoDdYGHZWD701P5ef5TLJr49tshNt67A7rIt59WWLtl1RuxvZ6NS168fYeatPROmB8bsJ9C9kVNcjY9VJJQJo389E_SeAfvUTcPFJ3EN8DxO59_-x1KY7QzdiLjIjslkj-ZrdF4CsuNew5kAq735gOBi5GntKgancOWkobxPgzWa9o0lHRdFKxRBbkDgIzU_T-wzdh51_w6zovPvsQ5MoixyCd3-6vkO-tItu2f6kfF8XR9btmUjNkzBMMRSyTdFlNt4CbgbTZC_hXoM-r4SH9Bqxh3pfN02cChJ56E6wL5-C72x2VQxqG0fto4OfTa8Lc1i8oA-nxoHiqwVtLtQntpXDvgxy5NGfX0ImTab0cITScLVvghdZm4dtlEC1oL6aozLPrF9uqAfxBattZavY7RRE5IT-dJSBMLQHO0a732HJKk3mBjESNHmv3ohqzIXUWBtyWYokz50KA30W_Fk9b3SwfxePqWdXI_CxhmuTZ4vIDP8uWW6ItmyBxbf0-I&c=6o8BzRHUad841K94U_k_b4biU-dfRx9xDilhAnbjSlSKyv_VUj6RxA==&ch=rw-2SBBzX47FuxIqX-6J81LUENql4FKOqASL1p7xz-7_wQxLIhPkXA==">The Role of School Nurses in Integrated Pest Management for Public Health</a>. <br />
<br />
In addition to surveys that identify gaps and needs of school staff, Murray says she learns valuable insights from visiting schools and from conversations with school staff. For example, when a school nurse called her agency for information about an infestation of browntail moth caterpillars causing severe rashes among students, Murray organized a state-wide webinar to provide timely recommendations for nurses and facility directors.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CU1JM9IMJWk/Wow94DeJqGI/AAAAAAAAyes/fj_fv5s9_d0jM69a5XW6-e0FPnOPu1j7QCLcBGAs/s1600/HK%2Btick%2Bcubes%2Band%2Bspoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1371" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CU1JM9IMJWk/Wow94DeJqGI/AAAAAAAAyes/fj_fv5s9_d0jM69a5XW6-e0FPnOPu1j7QCLcBGAs/s200/HK%2Btick%2Bcubes%2Band%2Bspoon.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
Other high interest topics for schools are ticks and mosquitoes. There are n<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-align: center;">ew tick tools for school nurses </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-align: center;">to promote awareness of IPM.</span><br />
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Murray is impressed by the level of school nurses’ activism and pride, saying “They know how to get things done.” Murray encourages school nurses and facility managers to work together to advocate for IPM resources.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Champion for Children</span></b><br />
<br />
Veronika Carella, a Children's Environmental Health Advocate and Legislative Director of the Maryland Children's Environmental Health Coalition is another long serving leader in the IPM School Working Group.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“As an advocate for children, I am thankful for people like Dr. Kathy Murray. Dr. Murray has worked diligently for many years to guide, educate and inspire others on how to control pests without causing harm to children and their environment. Recognizing the impact that chemical means of pest control can have on a child’s school and community, Dr. Murray has championed and promoted safer alternatives. I have seen firsthand how her efforts have improved the lives of many children."</blockquote>
Robert Koethe, Ph.D., Region 1 Pesticide Expert, U.S. EPA-New England, Region 1, writes,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“...While Kathy Murray’s responsibilities include working in many agricultural and non-agricultural systems she is most passionate about protecting children from risks posed by pests and pesticides. Kathy is a leader in educating parents, teachers and other school staff on pesticide use and IPM methods. She has developed innovative programs to teach school facility managers, nurses and teachers on IPM methods and complying with Maine’s school IPM program. She can always be counted on to go the extra step to help people in need of good information on protecting themselves and their children from pests and misuse of pesticides in the school environment.”</blockquote>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://stopschoolpests.com/">Stop School Pests</a>: IPM for Everyone </span></b><br />
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Murray has contributed to the development of school IPM resources such as the IPM Working Group’s “<a href="http://www.northeastipm.org/bmps-for-school-ipm/">Best Management Practices for School IPM</a> and the <a href="http://www.ipmcalculator.com/">School IPM Cost Calculator </a>(IPMCalculator.com) developed by Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service.<br />
<br />
Another recent project she was involved with is the <a href="http://stopschoolpests.com/">StopSchoolPests</a> program spearheaded by the University of Arizona and the <a href="https://ipminstitute.org/">IPM Institute</a>, the first-ever standardized, national, peer-reviewed, pilot-tested training that has undergone many rounds of feedback from participants working in schools to make sure it meets their needs. There are free online training modules for Facility Managers, Maintenance Staff, Administrative Staff, Teachers, Food Service Staff, Custodial Staff, Landscape and Grounds Staff, School Nurses and IPM Basics – Introductory training. <br />
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Murray also partners with the Maine Chapter of the Education Plant Maintenance Association that provides leadership for vendors, custodians, facility directors, safety and health professionals. Murray often provides IPM training for new and veteran IPM School Coordinators as well as custodians and maintenance staff at their annual conference.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Compassion of a Social Worker</span></b><br />
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“I love Kathy Murray as a person and professional” writes Janet A. Hurley, MPA, Extension Program Specialist III, School IPM, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (<a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-force-multiplier-healthy-schools-hero.html">Hero 2013</a>).<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Kathy is one of those rare individuals who works for a state agency, but has the compassion to do her job like a social worker. She gives of herself and her time to not just work with schools, but producers, pest control professionals, nurses, and others. Her role with Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry could just be an educator or regulator, but she truly cares of what the people of Maine need."</blockquote>
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When I first met her I remember her work with School IPM, but she was also working with vegetable growers. She would go from a school district in the morning to a farm in the afternoon and happy all along the way. Kathy has taught me a lot over the years how to be a good leader. Working with her on the National School IPM Work Group, plus other work groups for the International IPM Symposium and eXtension Urban IPM Community of Practice I know I can count on her to get a task done.”</blockquote>
Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-17773466003204089062018-02-21T13:00:00.000-05:002018-02-21T17:48:41.763-05:00<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>"...TO MAKE EVERY CHILD FEEL SAFE EVERY DAY."</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Born and raised in Everett. Mr. John Obremski has worked in the Everett school district for 25 years, the last two years as Principal at Lafayette Elementary, a K-8 school with 950 students. He brought his previous school up from Level 3 (probationary status) to Level 1 (excellent). With his wife Jennifer, who is a grade one teacher, John has dedicated his life to supporting and advocating for children in public schools. He also serves on the school committee in Melrose Massachusetts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Culture of Compassion</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everett Superintendent Fred Foresteire writes,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“John has spent over 20 years in education as a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal and 11 years as a principal. Early in his career as an administrator he learned one of his students had a food allergy. Mr Obremski made it part of his mission to make certain that the student did not feel out of place at school.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“He believes in teaching the Whole Child. His building has a thriving art and music program. His expertise in budget building and grant writing has brought millions of dollars to the district to support afterschool programs and healthy activities for students and professional development for staff.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He wrote a children’s book, The Walking School Bus” to inspire children to walk to school in groups as part of his healthy living approach to education. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you ever want to find Mr Obremski, just look for children because that’s where this champion will be. “</span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yBqwmhp5D-s/Wo2Ow_fahHI/AAAAAAAAygo/YHLFahUuR2AK5ZUgQQ26rHgEVQue-b_tQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Walking%2BSchool%2BBus.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1257" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yBqwmhp5D-s/Wo2Ow_fahHI/AAAAAAAAygo/YHLFahUuR2AK5ZUgQQ26rHgEVQue-b_tQCEwYBhgL/s320/Walking%2BSchool%2BBus.png" width="251" /></a></div>
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Students meet at different locations and walk to school together. They play music outside and give out book marks and bracelets when they get there." --Eleanor Gayhart </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Linda Sala has been active in the Lafayette Parent Teacher Organization since 2005 and is now PTO President. She says,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Mr. Obremski gives his all for the kids, 110%. It is only his second year at the school and he knows all the kids. He is adamant about not taking any chances with kids’ safety. He has amazing relationships with the kids, parents and staff. His door is always open to every parent. His priorities are the kids’ health and wellness and their social emotional development.” </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Mr Obremski is very sincere, compassionate, and understanding. He can relate to everyone. He believes school needs to fun. He gets involved in every event. The school is very clean, well kept. The kitchen is spotless. Bathrooms are clean. Every other summer they repaint. They do a very good job on air quality.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“He started a monthly program, Caught in the Act, that recognizes three students who show acts of kindness. In a short period of time, he has improved programs for the whole school. He has brought in sports, yoga and exercise as part of the Health and Wellness program. He has also provided up to date technology. Kids in grades 3, 4, and 5 got iPads. And he is very concerned about kids with allergies.”</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As part of the school’s Health and Wellness Committee Obremski has emphasized healthy snacks. No outside food. No cupcakes or candy. He creates alternatives that the kids enjoy such as field days and in-school field trips. Students are rewarded for their achievements with stickers and privileges instead of candy.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3hBzWbm3qSQ/Wo2THzZeBAI/AAAAAAAAygw/ozFbzQOOeEoEX-rDYZfnW_NFK_i9o4IrACLcBGAs/s1600/gayhart%2Bphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1030" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3hBzWbm3qSQ/Wo2THzZeBAI/AAAAAAAAygw/ozFbzQOOeEoEX-rDYZfnW_NFK_i9o4IrACLcBGAs/s320/gayhart%2Bphoto.jpg" width="204" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span>At the Homecoming Parade 2017 <br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Assistant Principal William Donohue, </span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Evelyn Gayhart, Principal Obremski</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The school provides all students with a free breakfast and lunch. Obremski recognized that the large cafeteria could be intimidating to some younger students so he decided to serve breakfast in the classroom. He increased the number of students eating breakfast from 300 to 800. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In response to seeing a remarkable increase in the number of students with allergies, Obremski made new rules starting on his first day at Lafayette. Parents no longer send in outside food for class parties. Now children enjoy doing crafts, dancing, listening to a parent read a book, in-school field trips or outside games. For teachers, it reduces the stress of constant vigilance by limiting food in the classroom. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Inclusion Based on the Friendship Model </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like Principal Obremski, many of the teachers grew up in the community. He says there is a deep feeling of home, of collaboration, of purpose, of paying it forward. The school serves over 200 students with Individual Education Plans. It is a multicultural community. Many students are learning English as a second language. The teachers pride themselves in relationship building with students and parents. They use a “friendship model” to include all students. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Obremski says his mission is to make every child feel safe everyday. ”I believe that schools should be one of the safest places on earth.” </span><br />
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Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-27953570215420291282017-02-01T18:09:00.000-05:002018-02-21T19:24:34.981-05:00<div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
<i style="color: #222222;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/every-year-to-mark-anniversary-of-march.html&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNGxBOK6VWbtVn20PuQMRaOxvocq0A" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/every-year-to-mark-anniversary-of-march.html" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Every Town Needs A Squeaky Leak Project</a></span></b></i></div>
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<span class="m_3593273505111810062gmail-" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/every-year-to-mark-anniversary-of-march.html&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNGxBOK6VWbtVn20PuQMRaOxvocq0A" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/every-year-to-mark-anniversary-of-march.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Healthy Kids Hero 2017 Audrey Schulman, Cambridge MA</a></b></i></span><br />
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<span class="m_3593273505111810062gmail-" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>For Release February 2, 2017</b></span></span><br />
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<span class="m_3593273505111810062gmail-" style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Contact: Ellie Goldberg, </span><span style="color: #1155cc;">ellie.goldberg@healthy-kids.info</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Blog: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNEEW-RaQJc7SgPP2rWHeIf4D4WBOQ" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">LESSONS OF THE 1937 TX SCHOOL EXPLOSION</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><br />
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</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Every year, to mark the anniversary of the </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNHHU5BV4C_M5JThdqcqEPxv3THzAQ" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">March 18, 1937 Texas School Explosion</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, I salute a hero for inspirational leadership and a commitment to the safety of children and their communities.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The Hero Award was created as an annual opportunity to remember the 1937 tragedy — a gas explosion that killed more than 300 people, mostly students, in their new state-of-the-art public school where no expense had been spared except when it came to safety.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">One lesson the 1937 tragedy is that a safe quality environment depends on champions with an extraordinary sense of responsibility. We can't take it for granted that elected officials make community safety or health a priority.</span></div>
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<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/every-year-to-mark-anniversary-of-march.html&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNGxBOK6VWbtVn20PuQMRaOxvocq0A" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/every-year-to-mark-anniversary-of-march.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><b style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Audrey Schulman</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> is the </span></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">2017 Hero</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">because of her strategic advocacy and creative leadership confronting the threat of Climate Change. She is raising awareness of methane leaks from old pipelines, engaging ever widening circles of allies and partners, and achieving major advances in utility company cooperation and infrastructure best practices.</span><br />
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<span class="m_3593273505111810062gmail-"><img class="CToWUd a6T" height="266" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=182befa1fc&view=fimg&th=159fbe2f41662f94&attid=0.1&disp=emb&realattid=ii_iyni7jan0_159fbb80ec1bde6d&attbid=ANGjdJ_Lctc2NMjF28AuHSfUGBi_PoK-4qXJd3Ew65Qo06fyrsp0CHjA4UVoj2Sks_qrH5AxWsjzlj592M96GC3jrrlMGtmvlTB7QA7Kcx3Hj0s_nQmXx1rVArV8Hn0&sz=w348-h532&ats=1485990124628&rm=159fbe2f41662f94&zw&atsh=1" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-right: 0px; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="174" /></span></div>
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<span class="m_3593273505111810062gmail-"><span style="background-color: transparent;">on a clean energy future, but we can.“</span></span></div>
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<span class="m_3593273505111810062gmail-"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Creating a Culture of Responsibility.</b> </span></span></div>
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Schulman is a master at connecting the dots from data to public policy. Policy makers, advocates and utility companies who share her sense of urgency about reducing methane emissions rely on Schulman for accurate data, beautifully designed resources, and trusted </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">relationships.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">“Audrey took the results from our 2013 Boston gas study to the next level by meticulously mapping leaks from hard-to-access records in over 200 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. Along the way she has engaged and activated communities to create a groundswell of public support to save ratepayer money, our urban trees, air quality and our climate. Audrey is a hero for all these reasons but most of all for our children's health and their future.” — Boston University Professor </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.bu.edu/experts/profiles/nathan-phillips/&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNGAcwJ9WdcdGUVCLcvJZ79r6LL27g" href="http://www.bu.edu/experts/profiles/nathan-phillips/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Nathan Phillips</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Audrey Schulman has diligently worked to reduce energy bills in houses of worship, plug holes in leaking gas lines and make our state's government work better. She's incredibly thorough, creative, persistent and a great contributor to the environmental movement.” — Joel Wool, Advocate for Energy and Environment at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.cleanwateraction.org/states/massachusetts&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNE1IlmHConRlrTWaAo9eh_VZ5XUmA" href="http://www.cleanwateraction.org/states/massachusetts" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Clean Water Action/MA</a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">...</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> Schulman's efforts will have implications for the efficient and quality management of gas pipelines nationwide and for shaping legislation for regulating utilities. The results will save municipalities, utilities and ratepayers the huge cost of lost gas, avoid disruptive and duplicative road work, lower the health and life-threatening safety risks of neighborhood gas leaks, and reduce the threat of climate change.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read full </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">story</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">:</span></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><i><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/every-year-to-mark-anniversary-of-march.html&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNGxBOK6VWbtVn20PuQMRaOxvocq0A" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/every-year-to-mark-anniversary-of-march.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Every Town Needs A Squeaky Leak Project</a></i></span></span><br />
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<span class="m_3593273505111810062gmail-"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: #222222;">Contact: Ellie Goldberg, </span><span style="color: #1155cc;">ellie.goldberg@healthy-kids.info</span></span></span><br />
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</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Blog: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNEEW-RaQJc7SgPP2rWHeIf4D4WBOQ" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">LESSONS OF THE 1937 TX SCHOOL EXPLOSION</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/healthy-schools-heroes-2012-2011-2010_28.html&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNHRbwUAD9OVIyaSN7ruuAlIQlHm8A" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/healthy-schools-heroes-2012-2011-2010_28.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Heroes 2004 - 2016</a> | </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/the-cenotaph-please-post.html&source=gmail&ust=1486076524630000&usg=AFQjCNEpsMpAC5LPgtILGT67ww6xae3PAw" href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/the-cenotaph-please-post.html" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Who Is Your 2018 Hero?</a></div>
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Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-37146032366543231422016-08-16T18:14:00.003-04:002017-02-02T16:56:57.067-05:00<div style="text-align: right;">
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<span style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>REDUCING RISKS TO CHILDREN </b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fX0Db4oBapc/WJI5AT__ywI/AAAAAAAAuPM/zKA-FXSf43wvu_t1NcfQ2oRijqKz-Ix2gCLcB/s1600/j0178844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fX0Db4oBapc/WJI5AT__ywI/AAAAAAAAuPM/zKA-FXSf43wvu_t1NcfQ2oRijqKz-Ix2gCLcB/s200/j0178844.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">New National Report Documents Risks, Urges Federal-State Actions</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.healthyschools.org/documents/TowardsHealthySchools-Risks.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Towards Healthy Schools: Reducing Risks to Children 2016</span></a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.healthyschools.org/coalitionactionkit.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Back to School Toolkit Reduces Environmental Risks</span></a></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/claire-l-barnett/its-back-to-school-time-w_1_b_11306198.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">"Will Your School Building Be Safe for Your Child?” Huffington Post</span></a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><a href="http://www.healthyschools.org/documents/SUMMARY_FINAL.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Environmental Health at School: Ignored Too Long(</span></a></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Coalition for Healthier Schools)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Coalition for Healthier Schools provides the platform and the </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">forum for
environmental health at school and has some 150 participating NGOs and
hundreds of other members. It is coordinated by <a href="http://www.healthyschools.org/">Healthy Schools Network</a>. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.healthyschools.org/">Network</a>
is a national not for profit organization established in New York in 1995 whose
collaborative efforts have resulted in child-protective reforms and new
federal and state funding for school facilities and for children’s
health. For more information, see <a href="http://www.healthyschools.org/">www.HealthySchools.org</a> and <a href="newsslice:%20http://tinyurl.com/gn9vkxg">Healthy Schools Network Newsletter.</a></span></span>Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-59464497147665822992016-04-05T10:47:00.001-04:002016-04-05T10:57:40.347-04:00<span style="font-size: x-large;">National Healthy Schools Day </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/bring-lessons-to-your-school.html">Activities for Healthy Schools Day and Beyond. </a></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/Wq5-etYjPa71DfzKGxwR4lETWVQcym1iBBrcYw-0UAHaW_oGj2a2qQf11IP4r11yyEcAqRdvm8Tycmryj3z5iEMiovvBhA" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.healthyschools.org/images/random_02.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Adopt</span> a </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Safety Bill of Rights" </span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;">for your school. <span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></span>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Parents, educators, and health professionals owe it to children to teach safety and teach safely.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every child has a right to an environmentally safe and healthy home and school. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Schools should be role models for environmental safety and environmentally responsible behavior.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everyone has a right to know about
unsafe and unhealthy school conditions and to be involved in efforts to
create and maintain safe conditions.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">See more </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/bring-lessons-to-your-school.html">Bring the Lessons of 1937 to Your School</a></i> </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e1215a3f-998c-c7d7-5965-93f5cf6fc64a" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2016 Healthy Kids Heroes</span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-5b175800-7f60-b247-f027-4ac398089181" style="background-color: transparent; color: #a61c00; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="www.healthy-kids.info logo.jpg" height="51" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uQXPIRrWVxsG3CsKEjrxZ5VV__gcBxqtWBjJ7ToWT-EPtbiKsrF4bHgXfgSO1DT1awtcameJ6vsA6Oy5e08hCleU4esHS6ymH0WAsY4KirIHljKlcmOqvJy7w8V4dKTNIR7npAZY" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #85200c; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Every year, to mark the anniversary of the </span><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">March 18, 1937 Texas School Explosion</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, I salute inspiring individuals who show extraordinary responsibility and inspirational leadership for school and community safety. They live and work by a standard of excellence and integrity — often in the face of denial, willful blindness, and indifference about hazards and unsafe conditions.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html">What was the 1937 Texas School Explosion?<span style="color: #1155cc;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One lesson of the 1937 tragedy is that a safe quality environment depends on champions with an exceptional sense of responsibility.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>Another lesson is that we can’t take it for granted that </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">local officials </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">o<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">r </span>elected representatives make community safety or health a priorit<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y.</span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> four</span> He<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">roes<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">are inspiring for a combination of personal qualities and qualifications beyond credentials<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span>Each, in his or her own way, promotes the values that build and continuously strengthen a culture of responsibility for safety and continuous improvement.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ndoOqDfFqh2r3AwRLlL3y8j42vAZMKoXghf9db6X-7DSG1OSPw-QIWWLS4Nro0CrNRl5d8vkGwGERegm4Y3MbLI93vR7F6kaUXze-o5vVsddCuuXnr5Epr0rLIjTAfNttrkvfMBU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Todd Dresser.jpg" border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ndoOqDfFqh2r3AwRLlL3y8j42vAZMKoXghf9db6X-7DSG1OSPw-QIWWLS4Nro0CrNRl5d8vkGwGERegm4Y3MbLI93vR7F6kaUXze-o5vVsddCuuXnr5Epr0rLIjTAfNttrkvfMBU" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/2016/02/todd-dresser-courageous-visionary-todd.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/2016/02/todd-dresser-courageous-visionary-todd.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Todd Dresser, Courageous Visionary</span></a> </div>
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fic-c-APOzmcKDdwue-EEDuHi4QfYDZ5wO7YYi-x8v1Ykop6LbU7-RX6RT1_xNAahc5J4iH00MwF0a9mFWZpxaGLJ6AmxWLC_XJbaUA0CwG0APD04HWZEioL851J4FqI6FwLBwM_" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rick Reibstein.jpeg" border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fic-c-APOzmcKDdwue-EEDuHi4QfYDZ5wO7YYi-x8v1Ykop6LbU7-RX6RT1_xNAahc5J4iH00MwF0a9mFWZpxaGLJ6AmxWLC_XJbaUA0CwG0APD04HWZEioL851J4FqI6FwLBwM_" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="243" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/2016/02/rick-reibstein-prevention-first-rick_1.html"><b>Rick Reibstein, Prevention <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First</span></b></a></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">dd and Rick </span>are heroes because both have dedicated their
lives and long careers to helping people make good decisions to prevent
pollution and reduce environmental hazards in schools, workplaces and
communities. As public agency officials, educators, mentors, and
consultants, they have been innovative problem solvers in a variety of
business, private, government and academic settings. They are experts at
building relationships and trust with clients and communities. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VlKpiGBpfLcxUqQGU2WUfnRxigc61gSngxq3aHZwkU1gaoyc6fFgv4iGZn_tBPcrwKXILkO6SU42DyNxISIxXC_9bCbVGIVrFHLht3Zjl4a4SUtIrs_CpAMF3cCxAJLOs4Yaqx6V" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="JanePaddlingTrash.jpg" border="0" height="248" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VlKpiGBpfLcxUqQGU2WUfnRxigc61gSngxq3aHZwkU1gaoyc6fFgv4iGZn_tBPcrwKXILkO6SU42DyNxISIxXC_9bCbVGIVrFHLht3Zjl4a4SUtIrs_CpAMF3cCxAJLOs4Yaqx6V" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/2016/01/jane-winn-grassroots-leader.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jane Winn</span></a> </b>is a </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">grassroot<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s leader </span>gifted at building community power to oppose pollution and advance sustainability.</span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/CZizpZpEgDteVhSP2VUdPXNuhKHn2XNUrUMNaGuJhZy6h3k990wEpIc4wlJdc1dLIkSXdOV-ul9ShU8rcW2YAJ8y71TnGNKOov2y0A4FmdFtmGSGOn1Fy7_wGn0QiJw0D37S_SWB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FB_IMG_1450830313189.jpg" border="0" height="200" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/CZizpZpEgDteVhSP2VUdPXNuhKHn2XNUrUMNaGuJhZy6h3k990wEpIc4wlJdc1dLIkSXdOV-ul9ShU8rcW2YAJ8y71TnGNKOov2y0A4FmdFtmGSGOn1Fy7_wGn0QiJw0D37S_SWB" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="186" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/2016/01/brooke-leifer-always-remember.html"><b>Brooke Leifer</b></a></span> is an inspiring young woman </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d</span>edicated to using music to inspire people “to make the world a better
place, a special place, a healthy place, to stop pollution.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"</span></span></span></span> </div>
Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-21727858738662605512016-01-31T23:00:00.000-05:002016-02-21T09:13:21.475-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd Dresser, Courageous Visionary</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd Dresser, CHMM, TURP, Nashua, NH, excels at managing the risks as well as the politics and psychology of hazards in schools and communities. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He is a Senior Project Manager at Hydro-Environmental Technologies, Inc. (HETI), Acton, MA. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvIeoqvjtzo/VrNWthlh2cI/AAAAAAAAqqI/Z5L2lvlF41c/s1600/Todd%2BDresser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvIeoqvjtzo/VrNWthlh2cI/AAAAAAAAqqI/Z5L2lvlF41c/s200/Todd%2BDresser.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd is widely admired for making it easier for people to do the right thing. He is a master at communicating the benefits of safety and sustainable principles and changing the mindset from resistance, avoidance and “waiting to get caught” to eagerness for technical assistance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd emphasizes “lessons learned” in his professional consulting work, his public advocacy, and in his publications, training and teaching. He is known for his extensive knowledge, expertise, and field experience in hazard analysis and mitigation, site assessments, industrial hygiene, pollution prevention, brownfields, occupational health and safety, and emergency plan review and development.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Environmental Health as a Public Service </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Barnstable County Environmental Health Specialist Marina Brock calls Todd “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a courageous visionary</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As an environment management professional, Todd has always acted as the eyes and ears as well as the voice of the community whether the issue is water quality, waste site cleanup, emergency response, or school environmental health and safety. He is dedicated to promoting accident prevention and risk minimization, to correcting deficiencies in operations, and to helping people learn from mistakes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For over twenty-five years, Todd has built a track record of success helping companies and municipalities improve compliance and safety. Using terms such as “resource management,” he keeps a strategic focus on aligning “compliance” with the bottom line. He offers companies ways to increase efficiency, meet regulatory requirements and become more competitive while reducing risks to workers and the community. He connects companies and community members with similar needs and promotes positive relationships and trust between companies and agency personnel.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The key to my success has been my ability to break large complex problems down into smaller manageable tasks which has allowed me to make incremental improvements.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd helps business see that some materials considered waste have value and can be sold. He helped one company market one of its hazardous waste streams to a second facility that could use the material is an ingredient for one of its products. This allowed the first company to eliminate the disposal cost for this waste while also reducing its regulatory responsibilities.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A second firm benefited by obtaining a product input at a lower cost from an in-state source. This saved money for both firms and prevented pollution be extending the useful life of the solvent and decreasing the need for transportation. This was a win for both businesses and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Public Advocacy</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As an environmental engineer for the Burlington (MA) Board of Health from 1991 to 2004, Todd worked on a variety of challenges including 160 hazardous waste sites and serious school indoor air quality problems. He discovered he loved public advocacy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1--n6akvITY/VrNXTPEf6aI/AAAAAAAAqqM/QqZEGNg0o94/s1600/site%2Bplan%2Breview%2Bdresser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1--n6akvITY/VrNXTPEf6aI/AAAAAAAAqqM/QqZEGNg0o94/s200/site%2Bplan%2Breview%2Bdresser.png" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the political realities of conservation and environmental protection is that municipal boards are often connected to developers. They may be unaware, indifferent or even hostile to environmental risks or health concerns.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In one case, developers and the municipal officials planned to build a golf course on a 350 acre parcel. In order for the community to operate and maintain the golf course, the town would have had to install and fracture a series of bedrock wells to supply water to the new course. The site was located adjacent to an industrial park that contained numerous chemical spill sites. As a result, the new well would likely have captured and re-located contaminants from 15 to 20 nearby plumes. This could have created significant financial liability for the community. Todd spoke up at town meeting to explain the risks of the project. It was an uncomfortable presentation but it got the community’s attention. They didn’t build the golf course.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Protecting Community</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd knows that community residents may have unrealistic expectations when they think that local municipalities have Emergency Plans and are prepared for industrial accidents that might threaten the community</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. People often assume that their local officials know about the risks and are prepared to respond to any accidents.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“In reality,” says Todd, “most don’t know and/or don’t care. The sad reality is that, in many places, Emergency Plans don’t exist. Most officials are not qualified technical experts to complete the hazards analysis and to manage hazards. They do not monitor for problems with infrastructure or old contaminants.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In 2000, the US EPA Region 1 presented Todd and the Burlington Board of Health an EPA Merit Award for its innovative Universal Waste Recycling Initiative for reducing the amount of mercury and heavy metals in the waste stream. It was a model for other communities.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The scope of Todd’s dedication to pollution prevention extends statewide and beyond. In the late 1990s Todd and Marina Brock won grants from the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (UMass/Lowell) to create programs for municipal officials, health agents, public works, police and fire departments in chemical safety and emergency planning. (Also see Marina Brock’s article:</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TSDshlQlQhI33Y-bWrKeP4-qYgcsCLt90Ff-FXQwiYc/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Impediments to Implementing P2 in Public Schools.) </span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd’s environmental awards and recognition, in addition to the EPA Merit Award, include three Massachusetts Governor’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Toxics Use Reduction, and recognition by the Ford Foundation and the Harvard School of Government for Excellence in American Government.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Changing the Status Quo</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I love working in academic environmental health and safety because often times no one speaks for the students or wants to address known safety issues. The status quo is simply the easiest path.” </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iurYbbLBugc/VrNX9BHgqLI/AAAAAAAAqqY/6GZ7c9SaoCQ/s1600/reduce%2Bhealth%2Brisks%2Bat%2Bschools.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iurYbbLBugc/VrNX9BHgqLI/AAAAAAAAqqY/6GZ7c9SaoCQ/s200/reduce%2Bhealth%2Brisks%2Bat%2Bschools.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oxhBxuo36aW5XsBri3nyJA11B7BaaQ4Afve5IY__R9r3Ww8yQuA-QmHKA4MDWTH9OqnAFZ1Gr82B9vMlRKBPQCtaO2rpGlCP3GN_66Z5k51Ar1ZL5kqGBdHyGtyZwquVBh5hWim5" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Indeed, few parents imagine that their children are in harm’s way at school from old stockpiles of explosives and flammables in classrooms, labs, closets and storerooms. Many parents would be surprised to learn that many schools do not teach safety nor teach safely, even in science and vocational classes.</span></div>
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Vz2Kegt5IGhi47c0wkXar104YfoqLBWIc9cyOdK7vSZvs_MSRXXHMMLczz-Cvz-wiTxqVkI8wXstOa-5001L6obNFU5vdSYP_ijCt1aNtwx5ZEMvPdyeKsXpaWGJFKwE5pXufDua" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A case in point is Burlington High School where students and teachers were suffering mold-related symptoms Members of the Board of Health were turning a blind eye to the conditions that included water infiltration, wet carpet, holes in the ceiling, barrels of moldy water, a poorly designed and poorly maintained ventilating system.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Concerned parents started calling the media and the state health department for help. After a chemical fire in a storage area Todd found serious chemical hazards throughout the school including unsecured chemical storage in the classroom, open chemical containers in boiler rooms and maintenance areas, and the joint storage of incompatible substances in classrooms and maintenance areas.</span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“My inspiration is my dad who was an engineer. He died at age 55 due to occupational exposure. I was motivated to act In Burlington because I was disgusted by the problems I found and by the fact no one cared enough to try to improve things.”</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After US EPA and state health department experts came out, the school system learned it would take $1.5 million to fix the problems.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While attempting to research and resolve the schools IAQ problems, Todd noted a lack of readily available guidance for identifying school environmental health and safety issues as well as a reluctance of regulatory agencies to get involved with school issues.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Documenting Success</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So Todd wrote a comprehensive analysis of the hazards, their contributing causes, and his recommendations for corrective action, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline;">"A
Case Study of Environmental, Health and Safety Issues Involving the
Burlington, Massachusetts Public School System Indoor Air Quality</span></i>." It is a guide for parents, school staff, and public officials everywhere.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He wrote, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"A significant problem noted was that no one employed by the school system had been assigned the task or made accountable to investigate or resolve environmental, health and safety concerns or complaints. As a result, such complaints were either ignored, disputed or referred to a consultant for resolution without consideration for the original cause. This resulted in the long term persistence of many hazards."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Even though some of the anecdotes I will report may suggest otherwise, our story is a success story in that we have made the effort to identify the concerns and to take action to correct the problems.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/8CKnb3WhbkktF5vqUSqyu-hqoEuaBmsJ6m-CRpUCR1oC4A5IuSDST2Ig-y2suyfPcGL43i7ir0RQ0D1x_QISXSAfj3Hai2V2dVKdGw73E3MwYds8s70hQJFqaOdDdfSCAoAMYxNq" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The challenge can be professional as well as personal. In another school district, at the parents’ open house night, Todd saw the chemistry teacher do the dangerous </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">woosh</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> bottle demonstration, where a volatile flammable liquid was detonated in a 5-gallon water bottle as a demonstration of “fun with chemistry”. Fire officials define this as the detonation of an improvised explosive device in a place of public assembly because this demonstration routinely results in flaming liquids and shrapnel being projected into the observers. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Concerned, Todd shifted into professional mode. Although the school was only three or four years old, he noted the cabinet shelves in the chemical storage room were heavily corroded signaling a serious lack of ventilation and knowledge about hazards material management. Todd went to principal to share his Burlington School Case Study. And, even though Todd was a consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the school stalled at providing a chemical inventory. Eventually, the fire marshal found five fire codes violations.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Safety First </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The importance of safety has been a theme of Todd’s life. Todd studied at Bowdoin College where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. Later, he earned a Master of Arts Degree in Environmental Biology from Hood College with a concentration in toxicology.</span></div>
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/dIp1DvG31N322Z-PURKnW3_DhQOEqVkIrDTMZ3hpXoTOIG8mlXdZph9jF4b67jUAOeVdhVP3QYkwjdNjnCBnNGl57PoVoYNea_7tmnWBZym2At9f3mRbODrCbHswlQBKE8-VN65g" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After college he went into the army where people with an interest in science and talent got resources and support. As a biological researcher in the US Army Biomedical Research & Development Laboratory, he planned and conducted aquatic toxicological research to validate the effectiveness of a rapid screening test.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd chose to screen four solvents that are commonly used in industrial and pharmaceutical applications for toxicological and teratogenic impacts (birth defects). He learned it didn’t take much to screw things up.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At the age of 23, he published and presented findings to the Society of Environmental Toxicologists and Chemists, and published his findings in the Journal of Applied Toxicology. (Teratogenic Assessment of Four Solvent Compounds using the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay-Xenopus (FETAX), Journal of Applied Toxicology</span><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jat.v12:1/issuetoc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Volume 12, Issue 1,</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pages 49–56, February 1992.) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After the army he worked for private industry conducting superfund site investigations and quality assurance work for EPA and state environmental agencies. He gained insight into the politics of regulation. ”It was a great training ground.”</span><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/D4T3jUfB1LebP-IkhT-2DU20UcC55m19sYQzSBBK_heg0raE1lKw-0LUGNHGizvgD1Tbv_CzuBFZ1_iealUTdAjoIWOCnuV1EkmnQMZrcJ2YtSgvSDO0J3bLnDo9u20QJ-vnx3_e" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">More recently, as a teacher of Environmental Science at Nashua Community College, Todd has enjoyed helping his students understand how environmental management and regulatory standards affect them. His students prepared maps with their house in the bull’s eye and then asks them to find information from the US EPA website such as</span><a href="http://www3.epa.gov/enviro/myenviro/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Local Environmental Indicators Reports</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,</span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/tri-for-communities" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Toxics Release Inventory for Communities</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and the</span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/communityhealth" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Environmental Health Resources for Community Members</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In His Own Words </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zIKTU_54OuI/VrNXrO0isUI/AAAAAAAAqqU/5aP-cPkwHeI/s1600/municipal%2Bmag%2Bcover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zIKTU_54OuI/VrNXrO0isUI/AAAAAAAAqqU/5aP-cPkwHeI/s200/municipal%2Bmag%2Bcover.png" width="163" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Todd is also a writer. Throughout his career, Todd has written articles, reports, guidelines, and case studies about his school and community pollution prevention activities and hazard management projects. As a result, we can see the world through his eyes. We feel his extraordinary commitment to excellence, to safeguarding our families, schools, workplaces and communities and to educating us all to be partners in the work of responsible stewardship of our precious resources.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Publications, Todd H Dresser </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15DE6_1Ugfsp9r6JRQjzbLQHnmllha3b-bOVC1LFjoYQ/edit?usp=sharing">A Case Study of Environmental, Health and Safety Issues Involving the Burlington, Massachusetts Public School System Indoor Air Quality</a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Todd Dresser, 1998.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A synopsis of my investigation of various indoor air quality issues plaguing the Burlington school district. The document also offers a number of tips, suggestions and lessons learned that can help guide other schools seeking to evaluate IAQ issues within their district.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED460571.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">A Case Study of Environmental, Health and Safety Issues Involving the Burlington, Massachusetts Public School System</span></b></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (ERIC, Institute of Education Sciences)</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The complete school EHS case study. It reviews the 20 major issues Todd evaluated at the Burlington School district. Each section describes methods and observations. It also offer tips, suggestions and lessons learned for each topic.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LinkedIn</span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/105254540?trk=mp-reader-h" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">posts</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/2016-tura-planning-year-massachusetts-todd-dresser-chmm-turp?trk=mp-reader-card" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">2016 is a TURA Planning Year in Massachusetts</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> November 25, 2015</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/you-ready-epcra-inspection-todd-dresser-chmm-turp?trk=mp-reader-card" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Are you ready for an EPCRA Inspection?</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> November 8, 2015</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/consider-hidden-cost-free-water-todd-dresser-chmm-turp?trk=mp-reader-card" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Consider the Hidden Cost of "Free" Water</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> August 10, 2015</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/emergency-planning-makes-sound-business-sense-dresser-chmm-turp?trk=mp-reader-card" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Emergency Planning Makes Sound Business Sense</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> July 15, 2015</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pollution-prevention-starting-point-todd-dresser-chmm-turp?trk=mp-reader-card" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Pollution Prevention - A Starting Point</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> June 30, 2015</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/beware-inconsistency-amongst-regulators-todd-dresser-chmm-turp?trk=mp-reader-card" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Beware of Inconsistency Amongst Regulators</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> May 28, 2015</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7R6CklZ5cd7NWpNUGpDMEJBRDQ/view?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Municipal Advocate</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">, The Massachusetts Municipal Association, Vol. 21. No. 2, 2004</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (Posted with permission.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Site Plan Review Can Be Tool to Protect Public</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Todd H. Dresser, Page 11; </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Concerted Effort Needed to Reduce Health Risks at School</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Marina Brock and Todd H. Dresser, page 14; Town Program Helps Businesses with Environmental Management, Todd H. Dresser, Page 20. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd H. Dresser</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">†</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Edna R. Rivera</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">‡</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Florence J. Hoffmann and Robert A. Finch</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">* </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Teratogenic Assessment of Four Solvent Compounds using the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay - Xenopus (FETAX),</b> Journal of Applied Toxicology,</span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jat.v12:1/issuetoc" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Volume 12, Issue 1</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, pages 49–56, February 1992. Copyright © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Article first published online: 11 JAN 2006 DOI: 10.1002/jat.2550120111)</span></span></div>
<br />Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-57245080163418668452016-01-31T21:00:00.000-05:002016-02-18T08:19:11.013-05:00<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-c9691124-9d20-9a31-68da-6e1155328ce4" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick Reibstein, Prevention First</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick Reibstein is a life-long pollution prevention champion promoting innovation and transformation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick is on the Faculty of Harvard Extension School and a Lecturer in Environmental Law at Boston University where he is the co-creator of the</span><a href="http://www.bu.edu/rccp/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> Regulated Community Compliance Project</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (RCCP)</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. RCCP focuses on the relationship between government and the regulated community. It has provided training for over 3,000 real estate professionals on the lead disclosure rule and related regulations.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Protection Starts with Prevention</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From 1989 to June 2015, Rick was a Senior Environmental Analyst at the Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. OTA provides free confidential on-site technical assistance to manufacturers, businesses and institutions to reduce the use of toxic chemicals, energy and water.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">OTA was created by the</span><a href="http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/toxics/tur/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1989 Toxics Use Reduction Act</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. “In my opinion the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act is the best environmental law ever passed,” says Rick. “It created the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMass/Lowell and its sister, the Office of Technical Assistance (OTA).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Persistent Assistance and Willing Compliance</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick believes that typical agency enforcement, while necessary, creates an adversarial relationship. At OTA, Rick practiced persistent assistance, a strategic approach to helping businesses and communities learn about the laws and reduce hazards by identifying opportunities to adopt safer materials and processes that cost less to use and manage.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Source Reduction Model of Inquiry</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick was among the first in the country to do on-site visits for pollution prevention, emphasizing the importance of helping companies find the best, most efficient environmental options without telling them what to do. “As I worked with companies, I learned I just needed to ask questions, not prescribe solutions.“</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He focused on educating, training and demonstrating alternative technologies. He promoted the benefits of the “practice of compliance” with regulations and meeting standards set by such laws as the Clean Water Act, The Clean Air Act, and rules for hazardous waste management. He taught that source reduction and other pollution prevention strategies avoided costs, reduced liability, avoided fees and penalties.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">High Rates of Willing Compliance </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By helping companies and communities to feel safe about reaching out and helping them meet regulations and standards Rick and his co-workers achieved high rates of willing compliance. Compliance rates increased more than 50%. “It was proof that a government program can have great results.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">OTA has worked quietly with about 2000 companies who voluntarily sought OTA assistance and site visits. In contrast with enforcement which often achieves minimum change, Rick calls OTA’s approach “relational environmental governance,” building relationships and trust. A former Secretary of Environmental Affairs called OTA the “state’s best kept secret, the crown jewel of government."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In Good Company</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick is grateful to OTA’s first director, Barbara Kelley, for her vision of working collaboratively with the regulated community. Others, such as former Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Management Jim Gutensohn and division director Michael Brown, deserve recognition for prompting the new approach. There was also Ken Geiser, creator of the Toxics Use Reduction Act, Lee Dane, who oversaw the first assistance pilot program, and consultant Robert Pojasek, a pioneer in pollution prevention, who helped Rick understand how to do the work. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Childhood Values</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Being taken on hikes in the Catskills and New Hampshire as a child made me want to be in nature. I came back to school drawing pictures of mountains and trees. My friends drew pictures of warplanes, ships and battles." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“My mother was an inspiration to me. She worked for the city of New York and did policy research and economic analysis. She predicted that the policy of deinstitutionalizing mental patients would lead to many homeless in the streets. She was right. She worked for years to get the city to recognize that it was not getting its full medicaid reimbursement. When the story finally broke, it was front page news. She didn’t get public recognition but she made such a big difference.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">His mother’s career gave Rick an appreciation and tolerance for the challenges of public service. “I cared that she won the respect of all her co-workers and did work of excellence and impact.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He saw that doing the kind of work that helps people and communities is tremendously satisfying and that leading an ethical life is a source of “happiness. The other motivating force was my mother getting cancer, her sisters dying of cancer, and others around me having cancer.” </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Education for Innovation and Transformation</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick attended Hampshire College with an interest in science and art. He made sculpture out of waste metal. He changed to a focus on the environment, energy and transportations systems. He researched alternatives to nuclear power and fossil fuels, and how to influence attitudes to prompt change. He graduated with a degree in “Creative Writing in the Public Policy of Science.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick got his JD at Brooklyn Law School. In 1979 he was inspired by hearing a young Amory Lovins, cofounder of the</span><a href="http://www.rmi.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> Rocky Mountain Institute</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (</span><a href="http://www.rmi.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">www.rmi.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">), whose talk on the “Soft Path” went up against a group of highly respected authorities and was entirely convincing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Breaking the Silence</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick’s first job in government was in the state budget office reviewing environmental programs. Next he investigated PCBs in public buildings such as prisons and community colleges. He found serious problems and wrote a report directing attention to violations of environmental rules in state facilities.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He pointed out that the federal Toxic Substances Control Act required immediate public notification and containment. It shook people up. Taking responsibility for the condition of state buildings was an uncomfortable new idea to engineers and agency administrators. When Michael Dukakis was Governor, there was a heightened awareness of the Commonwealth’s accountability. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick brought the concept of legal compliance to the table.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick’s formation of an interagency committee was supported by his supervisor. Members of the Departments of Health, Environmental Protection and Transportation enthusiastically participated. They supported Rick’s report on the need to better manage hazards in state facilities. The Executive Office of Administration and Finance asked how much it would cost to address the environmental impacts of state agencies.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Attorney General Harshbarger forced cleanups under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the public law for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. (However, eventually new leadership came in and disbanded the committee.) However, Rick was later able to reestablish a team that provided assistance to state agencies in improving their environmental performance. This has evolved into the Lead by Example Program to address greenhouse gas emission reductions, energy conservation and efficiency, renewable energy, green buildings, and water conservation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Promoting School Chemical Clean Outs</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In 1993, OTA staff and community health agents such as Marina Brock, Barnstable County Environmental Health Specialist, did a series of school visits and discovered a high quantity of hazardous chemicals and unsafe chemical storage in schools. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IVsCTHEU0J4/VrNZJxOZ90I/AAAAAAAAqqo/s973EP-vh0M/s1600/BadChemicals.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IVsCTHEU0J4/VrNZJxOZ90I/AAAAAAAAqqo/s973EP-vh0M/s200/BadChemicals.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">They found that school officials were often reluctant to acknowledge the hazards. Rick got a grant from the US EPA to fund an OTA initiated project,</span><a href="http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/16/15185.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> Chemical Use Reduction for Indoor Air Schools (CURIAS)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/16/15185.pdf). The program linked chemical use to poor indoor air quality and promoted chemical clean outs. (</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TSDshlQlQhI33Y-bWrKeP4-qYgcsCLt90Ff-FXQwiYc/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">See “Impediments to Implementing P2 in the Public Schools, Marina Brock, 1994</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With the help of Susan Lanza, Rick helped create a unique Mentor Program to match chemistry professionals with schools to clean out chemical stockpiles and set up chemical hygiene programs. Rick also helped form a multi-agency task force on schools create compliance guidelines for a big matrix of indoor air quality and chemical issues.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As an example of what schools can do to improve safety, Rick will never forget what he learned from</span><a href="http://www.artscraftstheatersafety.org/bio.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> Monona Rossol</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, industrial hygienist and President of Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc.,. “Don’t just look at general ventilation rates. Ask if the airflow is bringing chemicals into the breathing zone.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Later, Rick launched programs for environmentally preferable purchasing and trainings for schools, hospitals, and business networks. He received a US EPA grant for OTA to work with regional planning agencies and fire departments on preventive hazards management.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VN4n7Vjx6DQ/VrNZKuJt-HI/AAAAAAAAqqs/rBDCF-_niQ4/s1600/chem%2Bstorage%2Bbad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VN4n7Vjx6DQ/VrNZKuJt-HI/AAAAAAAAqqs/rBDCF-_niQ4/s320/chem%2Bstorage%2Bbad.JPG" width="248" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In 2010, RICK created the Massachusetts School Sustainability Coordinators Roundtable to honor and encourage student volunteers whom he had worked with on greenhouse gas calculations and other campus projects. He organized the</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5jIcd8gDJo" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> Spring Convocation of Students Working with Sustainability Coordinators</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He also was a founder of the Business Environmental Networks and the National Electronic Products Recovery and Recycling Roundtable that prompted a national effort to address electronic waste. He is a former editor of Hazardous Materials Intelligence Report and the creator and editor of Radiation Events Monitor.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rick was declared a “P2 Champion” of 2015 by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR), the premiere group for pollution prevention (P2) professionals. Rick is on the board of the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable where he has advocated for addressing Toxics in Schools. Photo by Department of Earth & Environment.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-53834275754378341152016-01-31T13:30:00.000-05:002016-02-02T07:08:09.142-05:00<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Jane Winn, Grassroots Leader</b></span><br />Safeguarding our communities and the ecosystem frequently depends on extraordinary people such as Jane Winn, executive director of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) in Western Massachusetts.<br /><img height="300" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/HtvsSTfAo3ZZNr3tp6UwGkbomSqX59vHnHnlJOlbv7L2_mqXJqFYb6QidbinWz9D0hShodAPDXdz02wCh2Y2MGk05d8E3q1dHAef0h8zpoVigGHKyq3kUMpNjIa81oZ3c68RHzYJ" width="400" /><br /><br />Jane Winn is an inspiring grassroots leader whose extraordinary sense of responsibility, persistence and courage is dedicated to advocacy and stewardship for a safe quality environment. Jane is gifted at building community power to oppose pollution and advance sustainability. She inspires a broad constituency of knowledgeable, caring activists and stewards. <br /><br />In October 2015 Clean Water Action Massachusetts awarded Jane the John O’Connor Award “For leadership in the fight against the construction of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, continued pressure on gas utilities and expanding labor and community partnerships to the Berkshires." <br /><br />(John O'Connor, 1955 - 2001, was a founder of the National Toxics Campaign in 1983. He helped lead efforts to pass the Superfund legislation and was author of ''Getting the Lead Out'' and ''Who Owns the Sun?'')<br /><i><b><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Anything that harms human health will harm wildlife and visa versa. </span></b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Jane Winn’s interest in protecting wildlife and the health of natural systems lead to the creation of BEAT. Winn says, “I received my bachelors in biology and masters in zoology, but it was not until we formed BEAT that I really put those degrees to good use.” <br /><br /><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/XUo6cbf8Nq9ywPxekaqHIc6KhA-KZY7jWp5E3oCDAl4LpOAtm0m63qUzzSyBExocm6LmGvDfscLB4cbkRPUef7aPdFuWz3IkMyySIFzL43-saz-dAmhZYjFC8ztJmYY8msGDXBSN"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/XUo6cbf8Nq9ywPxekaqHIc6KhA-KZY7jWp5E3oCDAl4LpOAtm0m63qUzzSyBExocm6LmGvDfscLB4cbkRPUef7aPdFuWz3IkMyySIFzL43-saz-dAmhZYjFC8ztJmYY8msGDXBSN" width="304" /></a><br /><br />“I always loved nature and could never understand why big companies were allowed to pollute our air, land, and water. In college, Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, made a huge impression on me. I admired Carson’s dedication to speaking out for what’s right.” I grew up on the banks of a very polluted Housatonic River downstream of the General Electric plant. We held our noses going over the bridges. The river caught on fire outside my house one time, and we all went out and breathed in the PCB (polychlorinated biphenols) as we watched. <br /><br />I thought I was good at catching frogs until I went away to camp and found out frogs can really jump.... fast! It is my belief that PCBs depress amphibian and reptile startle response leaving those living in polluted areas seeming lethargic and easily caught. <br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />“We all have our voices. we should be using them.”</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XhwM-N9E0JMoSVwOIcc4RIIxEXg1lKnV4pTC2QwUDEr7CAV5JuA5bk-gcPIuoZDYHIjjCYx-lxpGcBfxgQjSlLY5yIx_7EFU2H-MNZX7FF4G7feFufuVnIgX7hB7mH0qJjO7EOgL"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XhwM-N9E0JMoSVwOIcc4RIIxEXg1lKnV4pTC2QwUDEr7CAV5JuA5bk-gcPIuoZDYHIjjCYx-lxpGcBfxgQjSlLY5yIx_7EFU2H-MNZX7FF4G7feFufuVnIgX7hB7mH0qJjO7EOgL" width="320" /></a><br /><br />“In 2002-2003 a group of us were outraged as we tried to have the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act enforced during a proposed construction project and found that the law and its regulations were being ignored at every level.” <br /><br />“It is shocking how our government, supposedly of the people, by the people and for the people, is nothing close to that. Big monied polluters of all kinds are either above the law or the laws do not exist to protect human and environmental health.”<br /><br />On the BEAT website is a well-documented in-depth <a href="http://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/bcc-soccer-fields/">case study</a>. It tells how students, faculty and citizens organized to try to stop the Berkshire Community College’s soccer field that would destroy the hydrology of a vernal pool. Environmental faculty offered to show how to do it right but the BCC administration resisted. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Why was no one was willing to stop project? </span></b><br /><br />Jane learned that every step of the process violated existing regulations including the public records law. The project was out of compliance with standards, regulations and required procedures but there was little enforcement or accountability from the local conservation commission or state agencies. Jane and her colleagues discovered deficiencies with maps, filings, and permits and pointed out discrepancies in the submitted plans that the agency staff didn’t see. <br /><br />Jane and her colleagues had to keep learning about the law and how to use it. In spite of a hard fought battle, BCC built the soccer fields. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Lessons Learned</b></span><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/d59X4MOA6cRlDPQgvNdeHjt7Ddwa_cs7BuoHQYgJj1eHAsteuKYkFx68cbHYYFdxKdF5QjkEZHYE4zAVEt6COgBDKXL954WNVruOc5WXA7M91zD4mOEK32kNZctVXOpSteFdcaRV"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/d59X4MOA6cRlDPQgvNdeHjt7Ddwa_cs7BuoHQYgJj1eHAsteuKYkFx68cbHYYFdxKdF5QjkEZHYE4zAVEt6COgBDKXL954WNVruOc5WXA7M91zD4mOEK32kNZctVXOpSteFdcaRV" /></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When a new fracked gas pipeline was proposed for the area, BEAT started holding meetings and giving presentations. In a small town of Cummington (pop. 900), they</span><span style="font-size: large;"> packed the church hall. People were spilling out into the hallway and
adjacent library, and they came from seven counties across the state. The crowd immediately start organizing. Working with Massachusetts’ Clean Water Action and other organization they got thousand of people to call legislators. <br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Once you realize you can make a difference, it’s addictive.</span></b> <br /><br />The lessons the environmental advocates learned in the effort to stop the BCC soccer fields were not wasted. BEAT has organized campaigns against environmental degradation, inappropriate development, habitat fragmentation and other threats to wildlife. As part of the Citizens Coordinating Council, they advocate for higher standards for cleaning up GE’s contamination of the Housatonic River.Through its projects and campaigns BEAT reaches thousands. BEAT monitors, watchdogs, informs, surveys, tracks, educates, trains, organizes and advocates. BEAT has a <a href="http://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/beatnews-2/">free weekly newsletter</a>, <a href="http://www.thebeatnews.org/">a website</a> (with a great<a href="http://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/agencies-regs/laws-and-regs/wetlands-protection-act-1/"> tutorial on the Wetlands Protection Act</a> among other resources ) and hosts <a href="http://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/calendar-events#pgd/"> Pittsfield Green Drinks</a>, a monthly gathering of environmentally-minded individuals. <br /><br />BEAT has organized forums and workshops on <a href="http://www.thebeatnews.org/BeatTeam/how-to-certify-a-vernal-pool/">certifying vernal pools</a>, has trained more than 350 volunteers in various projects from wildlife habitat assessment to river clean ups to road/stream wildlife crossings, and serves on the organizing committee for the Northeast Wildlife Trackers Conference – as well as organizing many other smaller walks, talks, and information sessions.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Opening Doors </b></span><br /><br />BEAT began videotaping the Pittsfield Conservation Commission hearings which are now broadcast by Pittsfield Community Television. BEAT also videotapes for broadcast the Berkshire Metropolitan Planning Organization meetings, and many other meetings about environmental activities. These meetings are broadcast on local community access television.<br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Environmentalist of the Year Jane Winn</span></b><br /><br /><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/riLlZlM3clmHsuaCEMDGolEbPv5rVrQzAUuIhvJG8V6r-HL0ENDKdYcB8yUFUjY2dbmie66xrIGU5JgEDeLJn5LGFESLg7w8e8KWrX2uk1W8YYVnN6aX7TUyfw8ODS4_3Ogi28Cb" /> <br /><br />In 2007, Jane received awards from the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, Pittsfield Community Television, and the Housatonic Valley Association for her tireless efforts to protect the environment. <br /><i><br />“Long an environmental advocate and mobilizer of community interest and involvement in wetlands permitting deliberations and open space preservation in the Berkshires, Jane Winn is fierce in her determination and seldom willing to take “no” for a final answer. She has demonstrated many times over that perseverance is a powerful advocacy skill. With the creation, fundraising, nurturing and day-to-day management of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and the weekly e-publication of The BEAT News, Jane has become a leading spokesperson on environmental issues. Her courage, dedication, and boundless energy have already produced stunning successes – and are creating a broad constituency of knowledgeable, caring activists and stewards to carry the work forward.” </i></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-28347315862492724792016-01-31T11:00:00.000-05:002016-02-01T09:18:02.457-05:00<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-3a1de7de-8910-2796-31ed-bfa1cd44addc" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YKMviUu5EDA/VqpDKHTVbII/AAAAAAAAqpI/e0nF3wQJHcc/s1600/FB_IMG_1450830313189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YKMviUu5EDA/VqpDKHTVbII/AAAAAAAAqpI/e0nF3wQJHcc/s320/FB_IMG_1450830313189.jpg" width="240" /></a><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Brooke Leifer "Always remember, Impossible means I’m Possible."</span></b> </div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say, ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.</i> (Fred Rogers.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brooke Leifer is an inspiring young woman. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brooke was nominated as a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Healthy Kids Hero</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> by Robin Organ, Executive Director of</span><a href="http://projectgreenschools.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Green Schools</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brooke has been singing her little heart out at schools and events across the country to raise awareness of green schools everywhere ...she would surely touch people’s hearts to protect children and our planet.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brooke Leifer is a student at Quatlers Middle School in Mansfield, MA. She is an outgoing, passionate, inspiring sixth grader who cares about a lot of things. She plays piano, sings, acts, dances, and is an honor student. She attended Mansfield’s Jordan/Jackson Elementary School where her 4th grade teacher, Kimberly Goff, was an inspirational influence.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Brooke is an eager learner and a natural performer because she loves the things she performs about,” says Mrs. Goff, who had been a “teacher ranger” one summer at</span><a href="http://www.nps.gov/wrst/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Wrangell-St. Elias National Park</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. When she asked Brooke’s fourth grade class to research a National Park and create a <span style="font-family: sans-serif;">v</span>irtual tour, Brooke’s poster and presentation were “exceptional.” “Brooke draws people to her with her kindness, her confidence, and her passion for the earth.”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even little kids can spread the word.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brooke advocates for the environment in a unique way -- through music. She knows that a lot of people love music and music is easy to share. She is dedicated to using music to inspire people “to make the world a better place, a special place, a healthy place, to stop pollution,” she says. “Even little kids can spread the word.“ </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In early 2015, Brooke recorded and made a music video of “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg3rMTeDQV8" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">One Earth</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,” an original song to raise awareness about the earth’s problems and the ways everyone can help. She has performed her song live to large audiences at conferences, schools, and other events and in classrooms, at special events, and online sharing her message far and wide.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ONE EARTH, Lyrics by Brooke A. Leifer and Scott P. Leifer, Music by Brooke A. Leifer and Jeffrey Pongonis (Full lyrics at end.*)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our home</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our planet</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So I can't understand it</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I see litter on the ground</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Too much pollution</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harming nature</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Plants and animals in danger</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let’s make a change right now</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cause we've got one earth</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We've got to recognize</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our world</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It gives food, water, and life</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We should all learn</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How to help it grow and thrive</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We've got one earth</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And one chance to get it right ...</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In March 2015 she performed “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg3rMTeDQV8" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">One Earth</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,” live at the</span><a href="http://projectgreenschools.org/green-schools-national-conference/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Green Schools National Conference</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in Virginia Beach. She performed at the 2015</span><a href="http://www.lifoodconference.com/documents/2015%20Long%20Island%20Food%20Conference%20Program.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> Long Island Food Conference</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and at the annual</span><a href="http://projectgreenschools.org/green-schools-summit/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Massachusetts Green Schools Summit</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> at Boston University. The Green Schools Summit connects stakeholders from government, education, business, community, nonprofit organizations, and leaders of all ages interested in green schools and communities.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="FB_IMG_1450830429724.jpg" height="184" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/x_pQrCV1SPxiBRxLYGjY1bnu009fgXKyat3I8GMNz_8ANh1wVwzgltpY-1yS7zHTG_uJKd3K3KgmaBupXcWrJDXbS_blzHnWcHajcWZz5mDX0nRFZmuCH4ej3vcAp1LgV0jVqTTP" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In April 2015 the Massachusetts House of Representatives awarded Brooke Leifer the "</span><a href="http://brookeleifer.com/news/brooke_receives_making_a_green_difference_award/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Making a Green Difference" award</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for her song “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg3rMTeDQV8" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">One Earth</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” and doing her part to make our world a better place. (By the way, in July 2015 she sang the</span><a href="http://brookeleifer.com/news/big_news:_brooke_sings_national_anthem_at_fenway_park/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">National Anthem</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> at a Red Sox game</span><a href="http://brookeleifer.com/news/big_news:_brooke_sings_national_anthem_at_fenway_park/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">at Fenway Park</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.) In August she performed for a large crowd at GreenFest on Boston’s City Hall Plaza. See more about Brooke on her</span><a href="http://brookeleifer.com/index/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">website</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/brookeleifersparkles" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook page</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An Early Start</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="BROOKE one earth 2.16.2015.Still003.jpeg" height="215" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/yV6N3vTtCW3N3-nWpT_7JdDlWuHYG5Mo4dncqekYPbNGmXRBDZu-tumSEdeG-jrDqkUYlnNXb68w_Q33Y_8MPYdQ12eSHFYU5bJCfRVCZYSvFZFQD29r25vmkYn-0HgjEW32Rd6l" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In an email her father Scott writes, “Brooke has always shown a great love for all things related to science and nature.” Brooke attributes her love for the environment to gardening with her grandparents at an early age, especially her grandfather, George H. Reed Jr., who was Senior Environmental Health Specialist at UMass Amherst. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #a61c00; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Photo: Michael Carroll from Summer Sky Digital Media)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Important Allies</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brooke has found important allies who share her values and goals. Bill Orr, Executive Director of the</span><a href="http://www.chps.net/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Collaborative for High Performing Schools (CHPS)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, recognized Brooke’s passion for “green schools” and invited her to narrate the</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYIuICcZ5Ms" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">CHPS Verified School Tour video</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The video illustrates many sustainable features and the remarkable conservation achievements of the Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School. As Brooke points out in the video, it shows what others can do to make their school “a school to be proud of.” Brooke’s song “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg3rMTeDQV8" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">One Earth</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” is the sound track. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The project was a collaboration of the</span><a href="http://www.chps.net/dev/Drupal/NE-CHPS" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NE-CHPS</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[Collaborative for High Performing Schools],</span><a href="http://neep.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NEEP</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> [Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships], and</span><a href="http://projectgreenschools.org/national-green-schools-society-ngss/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Green Schools Society</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, an initiative of</span><a href="http://projectgreenschools.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Green Schools</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="image016.jpeg" height="158" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/u1iP59XP0rg34tObfUfLQbxViOVNVxQENydobrhqsVnoU7oQ61U-dD4PxAqg9t7cuC1tfo1qaY7XcXmn0j7441WOym6249NNCUZQfGMyzzUE9JKfPg3NEW80dGziR9nQrNXAYgRC" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Like other Healthy Kids</span><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/healthy-schools-heroes-2012-2011-2010_28.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Heroes</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #003300; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Brooke’s story can inspire others to make schools the safe and healthy place that all students deserve and the safe havens they are supposed to be. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #003300; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For more school activities see</span><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/bring-lessons-to-your-school.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #003300; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Bring the Lessons of 1937 to Your School</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brooke defines a hero as someone “who really cares about someone or something and willing to sacrifice themselves for them. To do the best they can, believe they can accomplish the goal, to inspire others. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Always remember, impossible means I’m Possible.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_____</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">* </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ONE EARTH</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lyrics by Brooke A. Leifer and Scott P. Leifer</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Music by Brooke A. Leifer and Jeffrey Pongonis</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our home</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our planet</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So I can't understand it</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I see litter on the ground</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Too much pollution</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harming nature</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Plants and animals in danger</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let’s make a change right now</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cause we've got one earth</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We've got to recognize</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our world</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It gives food, water, and life</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We should all learn</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How to help it grow and thrive</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We've got one earth</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And one chance to get it right</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We can reuse</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We can recycle</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To preserve all that’s vital</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lights out when you leave a room</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Go play outside</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stop watching TV</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Start a garden plant a tree</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Be “green” in all you do</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cause we've got one earth</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We've got to recognize</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our world</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It gives food, water, and life</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We should all learn</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How to help it grow and thrive</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We've got one earth</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And one chance to get it right</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let’s work to sustain</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nature’s precious gifts</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the world will be</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A better place to live</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Protect the climate</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Live in a healthy way</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So many simple things</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We can do today</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our home</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our planet</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We can’t take it for granted</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I want it to always be around</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cause we've got one earth</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We've got to recognize</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is our world</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It gives food, water, and life</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We should all learn</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How to help it grow and thrive</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We've got one earth</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And one chance to get it right</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Repeat Chorus</span></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-81357010034136424282016-01-29T09:56:00.000-05:002016-02-17T14:01:27.435-05:00<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/todays-responders-1937-texas-tragedy-still-carries-lessons-avoiding-disaster.html">For Today's Responders, 1937 Texas Tragedy Still Carries Lessons for Avoiding Disaster </a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lu2MbpL8QXw/S5usPgCnZ7I/AAAAAAAAEJg/OFjFzqH4sX4/s1600/Cenotaph.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lu2MbpL8QXw/S5usPgCnZ7I/AAAAAAAAEJg/OFjFzqH4sX4/s320/Cenotaph.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">NOAA Office of Response and Restoration</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">FEBRUARY 17, 2015 -- On March 18, 1937, a gas explosion occurred in a
school in New London, Texas, killing almost 300 of the 500 students and
40 teachers in the building. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">The brand new, steel-and-concrete school, located in the East Texas
Oilfield, was one of the wealthiest in the country. Yet it was reduced
to rubble in part because no one could smell the danger building in the
basement.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">While the building originally had been designed for a different heat
distribution system, school officials had recently approved tapping into
a residue gas line of the local Parade Gasoline Company, a common
money-saving practice in the oilfield at the time. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, on that March afternoon, a faulty pipe connection
caused the gas (methane mixed with some liquid hydrocarbons) to leak
into a closed space beneath the building. Just before class dismissal,
when a maintenance employee turned on an electric sander, the odorless
gas ignited. The resulting explosion caused the building to collapse,
burying victims. (<a class="ext" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1937-03-20_Children_Die_As_Gas_Explosion_Shatters_School.ogv" target="_blank">Watch a video of a news reel covering the event from March 1937.</a><span class="ext"></span>)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">By standards employed today, a gas leak could be detected in advance
by its odor. The odorless gas in the New London disaster was able to
accumulate in the space before anyone was aware of it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As a direct
result of this incident, a Texas law mandated that malodorants be added
to all natural gas for commercial and industrial use, a practice that is
now an industry standard. Mercaptan, a harmless chemical, gives gas its
distinctive rotten egg odor. It is added to natural gas to make it
quickly recognizable and to prevent accidents like this from happening.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Read full article: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/todays-responders-1937-texas-tragedy-still-carries-lessons-avoiding-disaster.html </span>Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-53661905283186545662016-01-19T20:12:00.002-05:002016-01-19T20:12:23.421-05:00<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em><a href="http://www.foreffectivegov.org/shadow-of-danger-release">Living in the Shadow of Danger: Poverty, Race, and Unequal Chemical Facility Hazards </a></em></span></span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.foreffectivegov.org/shadow-of-danger-release">New Report</a> by Center for Effective Government, 1/16/2016 </span></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Nearly one in 10 U.S. schoolchildren (4.9 million) attend
one of the 12,000 schools that are located within one mile of a
dangerous chemical facility.</span></i> </span></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0kEt5oHnVD4/Vp7eOZt4J1I/AAAAAAAAqaU/qr7Hpyl6b6I/s1600/chemicals%2Btwo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0kEt5oHnVD4/Vp7eOZt4J1I/AAAAAAAAqaU/qr7Hpyl6b6I/s1600/chemicals%2Btwo.png" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The report looks at the 23 million residents living or attending school within one
mile of facilities so hazardous they are included in the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Risk Management Program.
Residents with incomes below the poverty line and people of color –
especially children – face the greatest dangers.</span></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The report, interactive map, and a set of state fact sheets are available at <a href="http://www.foreffectivegov.org/shadow-of-danger">http://www.foreffectivegov.org/shadow-of-danger</a>. </span></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-86753160321251942662016-01-10T10:46:00.000-05:002016-01-22T17:49:54.464-05:00<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Early Warnings, Late Lessons </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TeAZqT7WlAc/VTZrbOCL6QI/AAAAAAAAmm4/L1VLYecqFYg/s1600/Cenotaph.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TeAZqT7WlAc/VTZrbOCL6QI/AAAAAAAAmm4/L1VLYecqFYg/s200/Cenotaph.JPG" width="132" /></a></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="docs-internal-guid-d67b6bf7-2c29-a28c-488b-e4f67e4de342" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One lesson of the 1937 School Explosion story is that we can’t take it for granted that local officials and elected representatives make community safety or health a priority. </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Lessons Lost, Cutting Costs. </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Flint, Michigan 2016</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">The
poisoning of Flint’s water supply is another sad illustration
of what happens when cutting costs comes before protecting the
public. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">To save money, the</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Governor's appointed city manager switched the public water supply to the long-polluted Flint River rather than from
Detroit’s system. But the river’s water was
high in salt, which helped corrode Flint’s aging pipes, leaching high amounts of lead
into the water supply. Months of a poisoned water supply has caused
serious acute, ongoing and long term damage to the residents, especially brain damage to the lead poisoned children. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">To make matters worse, officials knew that the water was bad but there was denial and dismissal of residents concerns for over a year. More:</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/what-did-the-governor-know-about-flints-water-and-when-did-he-know-it/423342/">What Did the Governor Know About Flint's Water, and When Did He Know It? </a></span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/what-did-the-governor-know-about-flints-water-and-when-did-he-know-it/423342/"><span style="font-size: large;">The Atlantic, January 9, 2016</span></a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bad-decisions-broken-promises-timeline-flint-water-crisis-n499641">Bad Decisions, Broken Promises: A Timeline of the Flint Water Crisis</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">ABC News, Timeline of the Water Crisis</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/greatlakesecho/all/%7E3/UCCbq0n-q88/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="195403745_2" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">Failures to follow law caused Flint water crisis</a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="by-author"><span class="author vcard" itemprop="author"> by Nicholas Schroeck, Great Lakes Echo</span></span></span><span class="sep"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/greatlakesecho/all/%7E3/UCCbq0n-q88/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="195403745_2" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" target="_blank"></a> </span><br />
__________________________<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Lessons Lost, Cutting Costs. </span></b></span> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">New London TX 1937</span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ciWsNA_rCOA/S6GdQZJfGBI/AAAAAAAAEKg/AaTMSTd8lK4/s1600/Grave%2Bof%2BHarvey%2BGrigg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ciWsNA_rCOA/S6GdQZJfGBI/AAAAAAAAEKg/AaTMSTd8lK4/s200/Grave%2Bof%2BHarvey%2BGrigg.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">March 18, 1937, </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">a</span> gas explosion killed more than 300 students, teachers and visitors while they were in the supposed safe haven of a new state-of-the-art public school. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To
save money the school board substituted a gas system for the steam
system. They had ignored the architects' warnings that the building had
not been designed to vent gas fumes. Then, the school board decided to
hook-up to a free residue gas line while school and oil company
officials agreed to look the other way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An inquiry into the disaster reported </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">other design, building and operations problems and unheeded warnings. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even
though the gas had no odor, there were reports that students had
headaches and burning eyes from gas fumes in their classrooms. One
account describes students sitting in a classroom with jackets on and
windows open to vent the fumes. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On
March 18, thirteen minutes before school dismissal, a shop teacher
flipped a switch to turn on a power sander and a spark set off a gas
explosion.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tsd_F_7QvN8/T0D-JuSHbPI/AAAAAAAAHzY/Tb0RDNV-eqU/s1600/PICT0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tsd_F_7QvN8/T0D-JuSHbPI/AAAAAAAAHzY/Tb0RDNV-eqU/s320/PICT0015.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Following the disaster, a law was passed required an odor in natural gas. Other recommended school safety measures have yet to be implemented in most communities.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Read more: The Unfinished Legacy: </b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://lessonsofthe1937texasschoolexplosion.blogspot.com/p/what-was-1937-texas-school-explosion.html">What was the 1937 Texas School Explosion?</a></span>Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-54572126431241618282016-01-06T10:13:00.001-05:002016-01-21T14:29:53.074-05:00<div class="section eventname">
<div class="event_name" style="color: navy; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://epawebconferencing-events.acms.com/content/connect/c1/7/en/events/event/shared/97991506/event_landing.html?sco-id=97983968&_charset_=utf-8">Stop School Pests & IPestManager </a></span></div>
<div class="event_name" style="color: navy; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">SIPM Educational Programs</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="eventtime section">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0sZQuZxsZDs/Vo0tbUZ4v8I/AAAAAAAAqXo/F7iJYknF9w0/s1600/AA002733.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0sZQuZxsZDs/Vo0tbUZ4v8I/AAAAAAAAqXo/F7iJYknF9w0/s400/AA002733.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="event_time" style="color: navy; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday, January 26, 2016 *POSTPONED*</span></div>
<div class="event_time" style="color: navy; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">02:00:00 PM EST - 03:30:00 PM EST</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Join the Center of Expertise for School IPM as we get a sneak-peek at two new, free, online school IPM resources.</span><br />
<div class="simpletext section">
</div>
<div class="simpletext section">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Featured Speakers</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="simpletext section">
<div style="background-color: white; color: navy; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; padding: 5px;">
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dawn Gouge, Ph.D. </b> is an Associate Professor and Associate Specialist–Urban Entomologist with the University of Arizona.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Janet Hurley </b>is an Extension Program Specialist on School IPM with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;">Registration and more information: <a href="https://epawebconferencing-events.acms.com/content/connect/c1/7/en/events/event/shared/97991506/event_landing.html?sco-id=97983968&_charset_=utf-8">epawebconferencing</a><i> </i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: navy; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; padding: 5px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>school.ipm@epa.gov </u></span></div>
</div>
Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-12763257299738524032016-01-05T09:19:00.001-05:002016-01-06T08:40:24.277-05:00<span style="font-size: x-large;">Measuring and Mapping Methane Leaks</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u9fSFr6rJ4U/VovMoxjHd3I/AAAAAAAAqW0/jkDDACTEUAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-01-04%2Bat%2B8.25.13%2BPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u9fSFr6rJ4U/VovMoxjHd3I/AAAAAAAAqW0/jkDDACTEUAs/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-01-04%2Bat%2B8.25.13%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="gmail_default">
<span style="font-size: large;">Gas
Leak Measured at Proposed Metering & Regulating Station Site in
West Roxbury, Massachusetts (Jan 4, 2016). <i>Boston University Professor Nathan Phillips and his colleague,
Bob Ackley, reported
yesterday that they found gas leaks at multiple points along the route
of the West Roxbury Lateral (from existing gas lines) where the proposed
pipeline would
end up next to the active quarry where there is regular dynamiting and
found a large gas leak. Community Vigils at the site (Centre and Grove streets across from the
entrance to West Roxbury Crushed Stone) – every Monday 6:30pm. Resist the West Roxbury Lateral Pipeline. Information: <a href="http://www.resistthepipeline.org/#e.ngbh5d.cdnhre" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.resistthepipeline.org/#e.ngbh5d.cdnhre</a></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Update from Audrey Schulman, <a href="http://www.heetma.org/">http://www.heetma.org/ </a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">BU professor, Nathan Phillips, and Bob Ackley of Gas Safety USA are
gearing up to drive across the US with a device that will continuously
measure methane levels. The trip will end at Porter Ranch, the site of
what is being called the worst environmental disaster since the BP oil
spill.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">This single leak accounts for 1/4 of the state's entire methane
emissions. On top of that, it's expected repair date is all the way in
March 2016. So far, 1600 families have evacuated the area and the FAA
has implemented a no fly zone over the area. </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">See more: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/la-porter-ranch-gas-leak-sg-20151225-storygallery.html">LA TIMES</a> <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/la-porter-ranch-gas-leak-sg-20151225-storygallery.html">Porter Ranch gas leak</a> </span></blockquote>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IopzqzRCS-Q/VoQ5gyAbGbI/AAAAAAAAqS8/kXZFuhWE4ik/s1600/NBSS_S_Ceremony_Dec_14_lr04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IopzqzRCS-Q/VoQ5gyAbGbI/AAAAAAAAqS8/kXZFuhWE4ik/s200/NBSS_S_Ceremony_Dec_14_lr04.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://heetma.org/">HEET</a> will be in close contact with Phillips and Ackley as
they travel, research, and conduct interviews to get a closer look at
what is happening, how it happened, and where might we go from here. The trip will take place between January 4-14, so look forward to updates from <a href="http://www.heetma.org/">HEET</a>! W</span><span style="font-size: large;">e'll be posting the info on HEET's Facebook page. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HEETMA" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.<wbr></wbr>com/HEETMA</a>.</span><br />
<span><a href="http://insideclimatenews.org/news/24082015/mapping-invisible-natural-gas-leak-methane-massachusetts-google-edf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br /></span>
<br />
More:<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://insideclimatenews.org/news/24082015/mapping-invisible-natural-gas-leak-methane-massachusetts-google-edf"> Mapping the Invisible: To Find Your Local Natural Gas Leak, Just Zoom In,</a></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"> By Phil McKenna, Inside Climate News, Aug 25, 2015 </span></span><br />
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Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-26539703070573108322015-12-30T15:19:00.001-05:002016-01-05T09:22:52.410-05:00<span style="font-size: x-large;">Gas Leaks Dwarf Savings from Conservation </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The pipes under the streets of Massachusetts are leaking natural gas. Huge amounts. A fact that drives Audrey Schulman crazy. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IopzqzRCS-Q/VoQ5gyAbGbI/AAAAAAAAqS8/kXZFuhWE4ik/s1600/NBSS_S_Ceremony_Dec_14_lr04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IopzqzRCS-Q/VoQ5gyAbGbI/AAAAAAAAqS8/kXZFuhWE4ik/s320/NBSS_S_Ceremony_Dec_14_lr04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I read an article about old leaky pipes in Boston and there was one
line that said the amount of gas leaked in the city each year totally
dwarfs the amount that Mass Save saves,” she said.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4RvsBSRRS3I/VovRPpzZJsI/AAAAAAAAqXA/zdaGv_XXR54/s1600/looking%2Bnorth%2Btoward%2BSomerville.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4RvsBSRRS3I/VovRPpzZJsI/AAAAAAAAqXA/zdaGv_XXR54/s400/looking%2Bnorth%2Btoward%2BSomerville.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mass Save is a statewide energy efficiency organization run by the utilities and funded by a small surcharge on our energy bills. The money is used to help homeowners and businesses reduce their energy bills through free energy assessments and incentives like rebates to homeowners who insulate their homes or install a more efficient heating system.<br /><br /> Schulman runs a non-profit called <a href="http://heetma.org/">HEET</a>, which helps non-profits access rebates and services from Mass Save so they can save money and “save the planet,” she said. “In the Cambridge YMCA, the work we helped them with this year will reduce their energy bill by almost $50,000 a year,” said Schulman. But she remains frustrated that her efforts to cut greenhouse gases are offset by the leaks in Boston (where half of the pipes are over 50 years old) that should be repaired. “I’m swimming against the tide!” ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">...The
problem of decaying infrastructure and gas leaks is not just a local
problem, it’s nationwide. “There’s a single gas leak in California,”
said Schulman,” that spills enough methane into the air to equal 25% of
that state’s total greenhouse gas emissions.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://boston.forward.com/articles/188693/heet-too-many-holes-in-energy-policy/#ixzz3voIOFmIU">Read the complete article: </a><b><i><a href="http://boston.forward.com/articles/188693/heet-too-many-holes-in-energy-policy/#ixzz3voIOFmIU">HEET: Too Many Holes in Energy Policy</a></i></b></span><span style="font-size: small;">, Jewish Journal, Todd Feinburg, Jewish Journal Editor, January 07, 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://heetma.org/">HEET</a></b> has mapped the utility companies' g<span class="il">as</span> data by town to create Google <span class="il">maps</span> of <a href="http://www.heetma.org/natural-gas-leaks-maps/" target="_blank" title="Maps of Natural Gas Leaks by City">147 Massachusetts towns and cities</a></span></span></div>
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Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-3223241165501691142015-12-17T15:49:00.001-05:002015-12-17T16:01:00.945-05:00<div class="_6m7">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Simple Asbestos Management for Schools</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xByxyX1_QvE/VnMfM87wfbI/AAAAAAAAqKE/I5u0GJNJRpE/s1600/BU005347.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xByxyX1_QvE/VnMfM87wfbI/AAAAAAAAqKE/I5u0GJNJRpE/s200/BU005347.png" width="200" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=5Bg9V8qRh64&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DDGwjl-IbqrY%26feature%3Dshare%26list%3DPL7xet9qFzOjUiBlFzQHvve9CoPctTpXky" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>VIDEO </b><span style="font-size: large;">Simple Asbestos Management</span></a> </div>
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The mission of the AHERA program is to protect students, their families, educators and staff from exposure to asbestos in schools. To prevent exposure to asbestos in school buildings, AHERA requires all public and non-profit schools inspect each school building for asbestos containing building material and prepare an asbestos management plan to prevent disturbance of asbestos. DSHS strives to carry out the AHERA mission efficiently, effectively, fairly and professionally with respect and dedication to all Texans.</div>
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<span class="small"> </span> </div>
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Whether your school is knowledgeable about AHERA or new to the AHERA requirements, get started through the <a data-ektron-url="/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=8589978843" href="https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=8589978843" title="AHERA Compliance Information">AHERA Compliance Information</a> page.</div>
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Thanks to SCHOOL IPM TEXAS<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9iz0kPYeRaE/VnMh6-f1LVI/AAAAAAAAqKQ/O-MmskU1LJg/s1600/AA020053.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9iz0kPYeRaE/VnMh6-f1LVI/AAAAAAAAqKQ/O-MmskU1LJg/s200/AA020053.png" width="200" /></a></span></i></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d;">Failing the Grade: Asbestos in America's Schools. December, 2015. </span></i></b></span><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2015-12-Markey-Asbestos-Report-Final.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.markey.senate.gov/<wbr></wbr>imo/media/doc/2015-12-Markey-<wbr></wbr>Asbestos-Report-Final.pdf</a><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-87859839939287291802015-12-08T17:08:00.000-05:002015-12-08T17:10:01.313-05:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="http://www.turi.org/About/Success_Stories/Video_25th_Anniversary_Leaders"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">TURA 25th Anniversary Leaders</span></span></span></span></a></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) program recognized companies and
small business groups as TURA 25th Anniversary Leaders. Massachusetts
companies are leading the way to reduce toxic chemical use. <a href="http://www.turi.org/About/Success_Stories/Video_25th_Anniversary_Leaders">Watch the video celebrating all TURA 25th Anniversary Leaders.</a> </span>(<a href="http://www.turi.org/About/Success_Stories/Video_25th_Anniversary_Leaders">Video 2:29 min</a>)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Hear what ChemGenes
Corp., Stainless Steel Coatings, Inc. and Allston Collision Center have
to say. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WS9OaxGxSb4/VmdNGLmRHJI/AAAAAAAApec/Fxjujek8Q6I/s1600/TURI%2BSchmid.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WS9OaxGxSb4/VmdNGLmRHJI/AAAAAAAApec/Fxjujek8Q6I/s200/TURI%2BSchmid.jpg" width="165" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Representative Paul A. Schmid III</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Representative Paul
Schmid III and Senator Anne Gobi
congratulate all nine TURA 25th Anniversary Leaders. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zwn6vxxRk78/VmdNKZQxmWI/AAAAAAAApeo/wSJuleTAMiI/s1600/TURI%2BGOBI.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zwn6vxxRk78/VmdNKZQxmWI/AAAAAAAApeo/wSJuleTAMiI/s200/TURI%2BGOBI.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Senator Anne M. Gobi</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i><span class="il"> </span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.turi.org/About/Success_Stories/Video_25th_Anniversary_Leaders">List of 2015 nine leading businesses</a>.</span><br />
<i><span class="il">TURI</span> offers services &
programs to reduce the use of toxic chemicals, energy and water while
enhancing the competitiveness of local businesses. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" shape="rect">Visit us at </a><a alt="http://www.turi.org/" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001iNMG-6e6OxJ7pbV2Y-bJTDS2kCBXX_nC5PBTIVAhHfPmwDdaOUpATliTdZ9mI5nfz-ECTybienbS-j_ltOto0V4B6kvGJhTiYkdxgDTqEMNKR_vymAe5tB-fnn2pbTxali88lLS3hkytVa91clSjM6srFe6DrWdy4l1oirzPxYw=&c=88EZv3JOHho2bF2UVQgLrZksQqw37nf0px44_PCIC0gzds3WbJiatw==&ch=mXVtuYCle_UZSPT9lY2Xomq0KJ8qZzdVBrBzB9sM_3Wjn9OJkIYrIQ==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">our website</a>, at <a alt="https://www.facebook.com/TURIMassachusetts" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001iNMG-6e6OxJ7pbV2Y-bJTDS2kCBXX_nC5PBTIVAhHfPmwDdaOUpATscrD73aXqX4ZCOal5FClDKrcjIYut-NhN9GvaOPKrMhUr8lz4fx0iQjy47st_tr0m6JU3jMj_QtXasluMaVt3NU0Wib8K33c_4uhyPQ-bBIydt98mED_-WpGvxK3zFgcDIqx1bGG2bqnt5JU54WNec=&c=88EZv3JOHho2bF2UVQgLrZksQqw37nf0px44_PCIC0gzds3WbJiatw==&ch=mXVtuYCle_UZSPT9lY2Xomq0KJ8qZzdVBrBzB9sM_3Wjn9OJkIYrIQ==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, or at <a alt="http://www.turi.org/About/Who_We_Are/Contact_or_Visit" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001iNMG-6e6OxJ7pbV2Y-bJTDS2kCBXX_nC5PBTIVAhHfPmwDdaOUpATnqHuQp_Stp1bBV3BLXnQbbPtM3WQOS0rXOiXLsBKtmg8lYgBcRiByWOPuGZGu0Wh9SMRXfsOF-B7p7F-_Yy0Mnhp4wyZaMR1YqSXRtRRsqBxyQ2b92uuga2WV1r0vpEKhgyiYPgByzXqscXR1mO8oznHV4fwqYOHg==&c=88EZv3JOHho2bF2UVQgLrZksQqw37nf0px44_PCIC0gzds3WbJiatw==&ch=mXVtuYCle_UZSPT9lY2Xomq0KJ8qZzdVBrBzB9sM_3Wjn9OJkIYrIQ==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">our offices</a> on the UMass Lowell campus.</i></div>
Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-48189931513793144722015-11-22T09:00:00.000-05:002015-11-22T09:29:26.895-05:00<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Feed Your Heroic Imagination </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ndumsm6db98/VlHOb2Czu9I/AAAAAAAApb8/kIHGUt6hJ3o/s1600/waterfall101415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ndumsm6db98/VlHOb2Czu9I/AAAAAAAApb8/kIHGUt6hJ3o/s200/waterfall101415.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The social sciences have not answered many of the questions about why some people act heroically in certain situations, while other people do not. However, we believe that an important factor that may encourage heroic action is the stimulation of "The Heroic Imagination" -- the capacity to imagine facing physically or socially risky situations, to struggle with the hypothetical problems these situations generate, and to consider one's actions and the consequences (Franco & Zimbardo, 2007). </i></span></span></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>By considering these issues in advance, the individual becomes more prepared to act when and if a moment that calls for heroism arises -- a moment to act when most others are passive. — Matt Landon, et al. Is Lei Feng (雷锋) Still a Modern Hero?: A Consideration of Heroic Action in the Context of Culture </i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #20103e;">There is a hero in your
area. </span></i></b><span style="color: #20103e;"><br />
</span><b><i><span style="color: #20103e; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">It could be you</span></i></b><b><span style="color: #20103e; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #20103e; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #003300; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">F</span></i></b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #20103e; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">eed Your Heroic
Imagination</span></i></span><span style="color: #20103e;"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></b></span></span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20103e;"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20103e;"><a href="http://www.theherocc.com/"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;">The Hero Construction
Company</span></a> </span><span style="color: #20103e;"> </span><span style="color: #20103e;">Matt Langdon is the founder of The Hero Construction
Company. He writes for an adult audience at <a href="http://theherohandbook.com/"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;">The Hero Handbook</span></a>, on how to become a hero and change the
world. He curates</span><span style="color: #20103e;"> </span><span style="color: #20103e;"><a href="http://thegalleryofheroes.com/"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;">The Gallery of Heroes</span></a></span><span style="color: #20103e;"> </span><span style="color: #20103e;">— the internet’s best list of
heroes. Matt has been working with the idea of heroes to create positive
change in kids and adults alike with one of the most well known names in
psychology, Dr. Phil Zimbardo – Professor Emeritus at Stanford University. His
work has been featured in Dr. Zimbardo’s TED talks on heroism. (</span></span><span class="watch-title " dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="The Heroic Imagination Project"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWQq0E8ENSc">The Heroic Imagination Project</a>)</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #20103e;"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="watch-title " dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="The Heroic Imagination Project"></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20103e;"></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #20103e;"><a href="http://www.giraffe.org/"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;">Giraffe Heroes Project</span></a></span></b><span style="color: #20103e;"> is a
national nonprofit that since 1984 has been honoring</span><span style="color: #20103e;"> </span><span style="color: #20103e;">the
risk-takers, people who are largely unknown, people who have the courage to
stick their necks out for the common good, in the US and around the world.</span><span style="color: #20103e;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="color: #20103e;">www.giraffe.org</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #20103e;">The</span></b><b><span style="color: #20103e;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: #20103e;"><a href="http://www.barronprize.org/"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;">Gloria Barron Prize for
Young Heroes</span></a></span></b><span style="color: #20103e;">, founded by author T. A. Barron in honor of his mother,
celebrates outstanding young leaders. Each year the Barron Prize honors 25
inspiring young people who have made a significant positive difference to
people and our planet. www.barronprize.org/</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><a href="http://www.givingvoicetovaluesthebook.com/"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20103e; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></a></div>
<a href="http://www.givingvoicetovaluesthebook.com/">
</a>
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<a href="http://www.givingvoicetovaluesthebook.com/">
</a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #333333;"><a href="http://www.givingvoicetovaluesthebook.com/">Giving Voice to Values: How to SpeakYour Mind when You Know What's Right</a> </span></i></b><span style="color: #333333;">b</span><span style="color: #20103e;">y Mary C.
Gentile Publisher: Yale University Press ISBN-13: 978-0300161182. Review:</span><span style="color: #20103e;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">By CSRwire
Contributing Writer Elaine Cohen </span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: #20103e;">...Truly embedding a culture of
ethics which compels every individual to take personal responsibility and act
ethically in every situation is what makes it all work. This book offers
practical advice on how to "build the muscles" to speak and act, plan
"voicing values," "craft scripts" and generally be prepared
for a range of situations in which bold action is required. As the author says,
"It is not about deciding what the right thing to do is, but rather about
how to get it done." For more information about this book, please
visit <a href="http://www.givingvoicetovaluesthebook.com/"><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;">www.givingvoicetovaluesthebook.com</span></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20103e;"><a href="https://www.gavindebecker.com/books-gof.cfm"><b><i><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;">The Gift of Fear</span></i></b><span style="color: #590000; text-decoration: none;"> </span></a>By Gavin De Becker. Learn how to act on your
internal survival signals to protect yourself from violence, abuse and the
hazards and threats imposed by others. Although written for potential
victims of stalking and violence, it is useful and empowering information for
anyone who perceives a threat in a situation that others do not acknowledge or
validate. </span></span> </span></span></div>
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Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5430442553332794393.post-82872266278626134562015-11-20T10:43:00.000-05:002015-11-22T08:40:40.142-05:00<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-slimstat-callback="true" data-slimstat-tracking="false" data-slimstat-type="2" href="http://pstrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Champion-of-Change-PR.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: maroon;"><b>Pipeline Safety Trust Executive Director honored at the White House as a Champion of Change!</b></span></a></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carl Weimer, the Trust Executive Director, was
recognized on Tuesday, Oct 13, 2015 at the White House as one of 11
individuals from across the country as "White House Transportation
Champions of Change."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Comments at Annual Pipeline Safety Trust Conference </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">November 19, 2015:
<span class="confAgendaSpeaker">Marie Therese Dominguez, Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) at the Annual Pipeline Safety Trust Conference</span>
. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "The ceremony honored individuals who are innovating
in transportation and growing the American economy.
And this year Carl Weimer was one of the outstanding Americans recognized as a
champion for change in transportation.
So Carl as you know is an innovative leader who's worked with community and
industry groups to improve pipeline safety and successfully advocate for stronger pipeline safety
regulations at the local, state and federal level.
So Carl, thank you very much for your leadership and again congratulations on
receiving the White House champion for Change in Transportation Award."</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">November 20, 2015: </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="confAgendaSpeaker">Jonathan Peress, Environmental Defense Fund</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="confAgendaSpeaker">"</span>I very much want to express gratitude both to Rebecca, Carl and the Pipeline Safety Trust...For a small shop of three people, not only is their profile very large, but their impact is very large."</span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://pstrust.org/images/bnr-pstlogo-trans.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pipeline Safety Trust Logo" border="0" src="http://pstrust.org/images/bnr-pstlogo-trans.png" height="44" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Carl Weimer, Executive Director, Pipeline Safety Trust, Ferndale,
Washington. Mr. Carl Weimer is Executive Director of the national Pipeline Safety Trust. Under his leadership, the Trust has worked with
community and industry groups alike to improve pipeline safety,
testified to Congress more than 20 times, and successfully advocated
for stronger pipeline safety regulations at the local, state and federal
level. </span></div>
Ellie Goldberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477807120705576291noreply@blogger.com