CollaborativeonHealthandtheEnvironment www.healthandenvironment.

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FORIMMEDIATERELEASE Tuesday,June5,2012 CONTACT:MariaValenti, CollaborativeonHealthandtheEnvironment(CHE) Ph:9785904844mvalenti@igc.org

HealthyEnvironmentsAcrossGenerations thefirstunconferenceforpromotinghealthacrossthelifespan
(NewYorkCity)Wherewillyoufindanacclaimedneuroscientistwhohaschallengedthe conceptofAlzheimer'sprovidingasimulcasttoaninternationalSharpBrainsconference,a designengineerandperformanceartistdemonstratinghowmultipleenvironmentsaffect humanhealth,andayoungdirectorfosteringoneofNewYork'sburgeoningcommunityfarms gatheredthisweek?AttheNewYorkAcademyofMedicines(NYAMs)HealthyEnvironments AcrossGenerationsJune78event,exploringenvironmentalinfluencesonhealthacrossthe lifespanwithothercuttingedgeleadersfrommyriaddisciplines. WerecallingthisanunconferencebecausenothinglikethishaseverbeenheldatNYAMor anywhereelsereally,saidPeterWhitehouse,MD,PhD,aleadinggeriatricneurologistandco founderofTheIntergenerationalSchool,whoservesontheplanningcommittee.Wewantto energizeamovementofIntergenerativitymeaningtheintegrationofscience,creativityand wisdom.Nowisthetimetospawncollaborative,innovativeandintergenerationalactionsthatcan addressallthesedifferentenvironmentsandultimatelyimprovehumanandplanetaryhealth. Over150researchers,urbanplanners,agriculturalexperts,intergenerationaladvocates, environmentalhealthandjusticepromoters,healthprofessionals,philanthropists,artistsand manyothersfromawiderangeofsectorsaregatheringforthisforum.Ithasbeenorganizedby theCollaborativeonHealthandtheEnvironment(CHE),inpartnershipwithAARP,theU.S.EPA AgingInitiative,TheIntergenerationalSchool,TheWholeChildCenter,theChildrens EnvironmentalHealthCenteratMt.SinaiMedicalCenter,GrayisGreen,andWEACTfor EnvironmentalJustice,andnowhasover60cosponsors. Thisgatheringwillfeatureanumberofconversationalforumsaboutthebuilt,food,chemical, natural,psychosocial,andsocioeconomicenvironments,andhowtheyinteractandimpact health.Opportunitiestohaveinspireddiscussionswithotherparticipants,usuallyonlydoneat thebreaksorinthehallwaysbetweensessions,arealsofullyincorporatedintothedesignofthe meeting.IliketosaywerehavingnoPowerPointpresentations,butplentyofpresent peoplecreatingempoweringpointsofconnection,Whitehouseadded. Inaddition,thosehelpingtoframethecontentincludingaformerdirectoroftheNational InstitutesofEnvironmentalHealthSciencesnownewlyappointeddirectoroftheU.S.EPAs NationalCenteronEnvironmentalAssessmentandtheHumanHealthRiskAssessmentResearch Program,astalwartsocialjusticephilanthropist,anationalhealthcarepolicyreformleader,a builtenvironmentexpertandmanyotherswilldiscusspracticesandpolicies,including more

intergenerationalapproacheswhichcanpromotehealthatallages. Thismeetingisfundamentallyaresponsetoacenturyofchangeinmultipleenvironmentsthat hascausedmajorchangesinthepatternanddistributionofdiseases.Thesechangesarefueling dramaticincreasesinsomechronicdiseasesandconditions,suchasdiabetesandobesity.A numberofhealthproblemsthatpreviouslywereconsideredlaterlifediseasesarenow occurringinyoungerpeople,andsomemidlifediseasesarenowunderstoodasriskfactorsfor diseasesassociatedwitholderpersons.Withaneardoublingoftheover65populationinthe nextfewdecades,thistrajectorythreatenstooverwhelmourhealthcaresystemandoursocial resources. Badcommunitydesigniscontributingtoarangeofrisingpublichealthconcerns,including obesity,diabetes,heartdisease,asthma,canceranddepression,saidRichardJackson,MD, MPH,aninternationallyrenownedpublichealthleaderandhostofaprovocativenew4hour PBSseries,DesigningHealthyCommunities,whowillserveasacontentframerforthisevent. Wecanonlyreverseescalatingchronicdiseasesaswellashealthcarecostsbydeveloping neighborhoodsexplicitlydesignedtoincreasehealthandwellbeingthatmeanstakinginto accounteverythingfrommakingwalkingandbikingeasytoenablingsocialinteractionsto accesstohealthyfood.

Untilwelookupstreamtoaddresssocialinequalityandenvironmentinjustice,Gail Christopher,DN,VicePresidentofProgramStrategyattheW.K.KelloggFoundationandanother contentframeratthismeeting,noted,wewillcontinuetoseefamiliesslidingintopoverty, youthdroppingoutofschool,andcommunitiesbecomingoverwhelmedbypollutionand despair.Thisconferencegivesmehopethatwewillfindawayoutofthisuntenablesituation, andinstead,worktogetheracrossthemanydividesthatnowexisttorebuildahealthy Commonsforall. Artisticexpressionsofdance,musicandpoetrywillbeinterwoventhroughouttheeventto remindparticipantsthatcreativityandimagination,notjustdata,areneededtodevelopreal worldsolutionstoaddressthesecomplexissues.Inaddition,specialpostconferenceactivities offeredFridayafternoon,includingawellnesstouroftheCentralParkConservatoryGardens, willallowattendeestoexplorenewwaysofperceivingthemanyenvironmentsthatinfluence ourhealth. Ultimately,wedonotseetheconferenceasanenduntoitselfnoronewithrealwallsor boundaries.Instead,itisasteppingstoneinourongoingjourneytogalvanizeahealthfocused, multigenerationalmovement,statedRickMoody,Director,AARPOfficeofAcademicAffairs, whoservesontheplanningcommitteefortheconference.Weexpectthisgatheringtoresult innew,evenunexpected,collaborationstohelpuscollectivelycrossthetumultuouswatersof todayspolitical,economicandsocialsituations.Iknowthosecomingtothismeetingare committedtoworkingtogethertowardsafuturewherepreventionisthetopmostpriorityand enjoyingthehealthiestpossiblelifeisarightforall,notaprivilegeforafew. Formoreinformation,pleasesee: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/news/conference/intergen2012 ###