This fact sheet summarizes the health impacts of air pollution and the ways that these impacts have been studied. It also includes a brief overview of work from the lab of Joel Kaufman, Acting Director of EDGE. It was produced to distribute at a Public Health Cafe event held in South Park, Seattle in the fall of 2019.
As a physician with a passion for science, social justice and patient care, Dr. Joel Kaufman gravitated to public health from his earliest days as a college student pursuing BA and MD degrees in a combined six-year program.
Kaufman’s multiple titles at the University of Washington reflect his wide range of interests: professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, epidemiology and general internal medicine and former interim dean of the School of Public Health.
Taqueria Rincon is a brightly-painted, family-owned Mexican restaurant in South Park, Seattle. On a cold evening in late November, it filled up quickly with more than 40 people there for a community discussion of air quality.
A one-page handout that provides information for a general audience about activities at ports in Seattle and around the U.S. and how they might impact public health. The handout also includes short descriptions of EDGE research related to ports and movement of goods, as well as a list of ways to get involved and be part of the solution to this growing problem.
A two-sided handout developed for a Public Health Café. It is aimed at a general audience and provides a brief description of the science behind the health effects of air pollution, suggestions about what we can do to protect ourselves, an ethical take on the issue, questions for discussion, and a list of links where you can go to learn more.
As Central Washington became choked with wildfire smoke last summer, Dr. Mark Larson grew so concerned about air quality measures in Kittitas County that he couldn’t sleep for 10 days.
As the health officer for Kittitas County, Larson felt it was his duty to recommend canceling outdoor activities. But as a 20-year community resident, he also knew that the Kittitas Rodeo was right around the corner—a nationally known event that can bring in more than $8 million to the local economy in a single weekend.
Typically, summer in the Methow Valley is a time to hike, bike, camp, river raft, mountain climb, attend outdoor arts festivals, and otherwise enjoy the spectacular natural setting.
Lately, things are different. Wildfire season has hit the Methow Valley hard the last five years, causing hazardous smoke conditions that can persist for weeks on end, often making residents feel trapped and isolated.
