We were proud to sponsor this summit at the partnership level. The keynote speaker, Charles C. Brown defined equity at the beginning of his talk.  We know that this is always a challenge because there are so many definitions put forward.  We'd like to share his with you. 

Equity involves trying to understand and give people what they want to enjoy full, healthy lives.
 
Equity is the presence of justice and fairness within the procedures, processes, and distribution of resources by institutions or systems.
 
Facing equity issues requires an understanding of the underlying or the root causes in inequalities and oppression within society.  
Link to the conference:
 http://www.ctprf.org/programs_services/transport-hartford/2019-multimodal-summit/#shared

"The water that leaves RWA's treatment plants...has no lead in it. But as water sits in plumbing systems small amounts of lead from lead pipes or lead solder...can dissolve in the water".  From "waterlines" included in our last bill from RWA:  https://www.rwater.com/media/3814/waterlines-spring-2019.pdf   
Information is included about how to test your water and what to do about it if it has high lead levels.  If you are concerned and don't want to get the test done you could just follow the guidelines in the article as a precaution.      

​HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1029/2019EO117371   ​
https://eos.org/research-spotlights/what-do-people-drink-when-they-think-their-tap-water-isnt-safe

Ted Talk:  Dr. Rishi Manchanda tells how he solved a mysterious serious injury by asking a patient with chronic and severe headaches about the place where she lived.   Why aren't more doctors asking these questions and helping their patients with the adverse health effects from environmental pollution?

The Greater New Haven Green Fund will hold its annual meeting to elect officers and directors.  We will also present our 2014 annual report.  The public is invited to attend and address the board with any concerns or comments that they might have for our board.
 
Thursday, October 22, 2015 @ 6  PM
Located at : The Grove, 760 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT, 2nd floor, Conservatory Room
 
We have begun our fifth year of issuing grants to the Greater New Haven Community through a competitive grant application process with a request for proposals.   
 
Grant awardees for 2014 include:
Major grants:

• Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven:  Best Practices for Residential Storm Management
• Connecticut Fund for the Environment: West River Green Infrastructure Project
• URI: Community Planning for Greenspace

Small grants:

• Quinnipiac University: Surveying the Quinnipiac River #3
• Ecoworks:  Creative Reuse for Art Supplies

Micro grants:

• NH/Leon:  healthy climate campaign
• West River Watershed Partnership: West River Water Festival
• NH Land Trust: Field of Greens Community Garden
• NH Festivals: KenshoSeed, microgreens
• Stevens Community Garden
• New Haven Bioregional Group: Jonathan Bates Reedible Forest Gardening, Speaker Series
• City of New Haven: Youth at Work bicycles
• Hill Regional School: Panther Garden Club

You may RSVP to the Facebook event here.

Cool conference coming up at Yale to which the public is invited. The real, full title: Urban Nature as a Health Resource: From Evidence to Action, taking place on February 5-6.

I was going to post the official conference description but I found the speech abstract of keynote speaker Dr. William Bird to be far more compelling -- it makes the case in dramatic fashion.  Hence my tongue-in-cheek title.  Dr. Bird's words of wisdom follow (emphasis mine):

Over the past 100,000 years we have connected with the natural environment to ensure that we not only survive as a species but that we thrive and dominate. However despite our undoubted success and with rising life expectancy we have “created” a new sickness that is killing people in greater numbers than at any time in history. Non Communicable diseases have the common risk factor of chronic inflammation which is strongly associated with chronic stress. There is good empirical evidence that when we become isolated or disconnected from a supportive natural environment we become stressed. In this talk I will argue that it is our disconnection from nature that is driving this epidemic of Type II diabetes, obesity, depression etc. Our healthcare systems are not fit for purpose in tackling these diseases. Therefore to consign these diseases to history requires a revolution of new thinking, with nature at the very centre of urban design, healthcare, technology and education.

To learn more, to download the brochure, and to register for the conference, click here. By the way, even if you can't make it personally, you can join it by Livestream.  

-Angel Fernandez-Chavero