Public Health Week

Since 1996, the American Public Health Association has sponsored National Public Health Week in an effort to highlight the importance of public health in communities across the United States.

The Department of Health has been a partner of National Public Health Week for several years coordinating special events to highlight the week’s focus. This year’s theme was Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance and the City of St. Louis Department of Health participated in a variety of activities during the week. The themes for the week: Be Prepared. Eat Differently. Travel Differently. Green Your Work. Green Your Home.

Climate change, an effect of global warming, has become a hot topic over the past several years. However, most people think of it as an environmental issue and are not aware of the effects climate change will have on the health of our communities, our families, and our children.

Scientists predict cities in the Midwest will experience more extreme temperatures, which will lead to more heat stress and heatstroke. Across the country, scientists predict an increase in the areas affected by Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus as well as water supply shortages which will affect our food supply. The change in climate will cause more people to suffer from allergies and asthma. These changes will have a greater impact on vulnerable populations like the elderly, young children, and those with compromised immune systems.

The City of St. Louis Department of Health planned and participated in a number of community and departmental activities, one in honor of each of the five Public Health Week themes. On Monday, April 7, the City of St. Louis Department of Health hosted an interactive learning session on climate change and global warming for the youth at Herbert Hoover Boys’ & Girls’ Club. The youth had a chance to learn about global warming and what they could do to make a difference.

On Tuesday, April 8, department employees were encouraged to travel differently to work. Employees rode public transportation, biked and carpooled to work that day.

On Wednesday, April 9, the City of St. Louis Department of Health set up informational booths at two local schools educating students on how changing their eating habits could help save their planet. In addition to our department wide recycling program, employees were encouraged to find new ways to save energy and commit to other energy saving practices on Thursday, April 10.

On Friday, the City of St. Louis Department of Health sponsored a “How Green is Your Home? An Assessment Guide to Creating an Eco-Friendly Home” on-line survey on our Public Health Week webpage
http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/health/publichealthweek.htm

As a culmination of the week’s activities, the Department of Health hosted a press conference and luncheon in honor of five local businesses that help protect the environment by incorporating business practices that encourage emergency preparedness, alternative ways to travel, the consumption of locally grown foods and reducing or reusing materials in the workplace and at home—all positive steps towards addressing and curbing the effects of global warming. The businesses were chosen from among the top companies in their prospective category by Department of Health employees.

The City of St. Louis Department of Health’s Public Health Week Partner awards were presented by Pamela Walker, Acting Director of Health, to the winners at the Department of Health headquarters on Friday, April 11. This year’s winners included:

• In the Be Prepared Category: Anheuser-Busch Companies Incorporated, a primary sponsor of the American Red Cross’ Ready Rating Program designed to ensure that local businesses are prepared to respond to emergencies including weather related ones that may be the result of climate change,
• In the Travel Differently Category: Trailnet, a local non-profit organization responsible for building the bike trail that spans from the Chain of Rocks Bridge to the Riverfront and organizing local school walking programs. They also built and maintained biking and walking trails around the city encouraging increased physical activity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
• In the Eat Differently Category: Local Harvest Grocer, LLC & Tower Grove Farmer’s Market and Bazaar, a business that provides consumers with locally grown products year round reducing greenhouse gas emission by reducing the miles foods travel from producer to consumer,
• In the Green Your Work Category: City of St. Louis Department of Streets, Refuse Division, an organization that provides resources with which city businesses, organizations and residents can begin recycling programs to encourage St. Louisans to reduce, reuse and recycle, and
• In the Green Your Home Category: Habitat for Humanities’ ReStore, a business dedicated to reducing waste by providing consumers with salvaged building materials.

With each organization represented, the event was a success. STL TV was in attendance to capture the event and interviewed each of the organization’s representatives in an effort to educate the community on the mission and the efforts of the awardees. A video stream broadcast of the event will soon be featured on STL TV’s website.

For more information on Public Health Week and to access some of the resources mentioned in this article, visit our webpage at:
http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/health/publichealthweek.htm

Interim Director of Health, Pamela Rice Walker (right) and Commissioner of Health, Melba R. Moore holding the National Public Health Week Proclamation as signed by Mayor Francis G. Slay.

Interim Department of Health Director, Pamela Rice Walker, opens the Public Health Partner Award Ceremony.

Interim Department of Health Director, Pamela Rice Walker, presents the City of St. Louis Refuse Division’s Jill Hamilton, Program Manager and Elizabeth McAdam, Recycling Program Specialist with the “Green Your Work” Award.

Public Health Partners include:
Patrick Horine, and Mattie Earnest, co-owners, Local Harvest and Chris Geden, store manager.

Jill Hamilton, program manager, Recycling Division and Elizabeth McAdam, recycling program specialist.

Roy Bland, store manager, and John Castagno, Habitat for Humanity, ReStore.

John Stier, Group Director, Environmental Assurance and Development and Bill Etling, Senior Director of Communications, Anheuser Busch Companies, Incorporated.

Ann Mack, Executive Director, Phil Valco, Active Living Program Director, Erin Farrell, Board Member, and David Lauber, Director of Development & Communications, Trailnet.

Health Department
City of St. Louis
Health Department web site