NEHA Conference

It has been an interesting few days, attending the annual conference for the National Environmental Health Association. My work along the Gulf Coast has translated into my becoming something of an expert on assessing and remediating mold, particularly for non-profit groups and people with limited resources. I haven't given the mold training talk since February and it felt great to be teaching again. The talk was well received and I was invited to Houston to present to an environmental group about fighting mold.

In my work with Coming Alongside, I have been supporting the research of Dr. Denise Wilson in the fields of formaldehyde in temporary homes, and arsenic in soil and how it impacts people, especially children. We spoke this afternoon about the research we have conducted on soils around Gentilly and the Ninth Ward in Louisiana. Arsenic is the number 1 health contaminant in the world. It is a cancer accelerator, in that it makes cancer cells multiply more rapidly.

I'm nervous and excited because I believe that the scientific research that Coming Alongside is conducting with the support of the University of Washington will help to reduce the cost of remediating contaminated soil and raise awareness of the hazards of arsenic. It will lead to making people healthier. Damn it feels good to make a difference.