Dr. Ted SchettlerJanuary 30, 2001

Dr. Schettler discussed the unique susceptibility of the developing baby to a host of common environmental toxins that can lead to a variety of problems, including impaired immune and reproductive system function as well as learning disabilities.

Dr. Schettler is co-author of Generations at Risk: Reproductive Health and the Environment, which examines reproductive and developmental health effects of exposure to a variety of environmental toxicants. He is also co-author of In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development, which discusses the impact of environmental exposures on neurological development in children.

Dr. Schettler has a medical degree from Case-Western Reserve University and a masters degree in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health. He is science director for the Science and Environmental Health Network and co-chair of the Human Health and Environment Project of Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility. Dr. Schettler is on the medical staff of Boston Medical Center.

ALL SUSTAINABILITY IS LOCAL

Mr. William A. McDonoughFebruary 28, 2001

Mr. McDonough discussed the concept of eco-effectiveness, which leads to human industry that is regenerative rather than depletive. It involves the design of things that celebrate interdependence with other living systems and utilizes commerce as the engine of change.

William McDonough, FAIA, internationally acclaimed architect, designer and educator, is known for his profound approach to design and commerce incorporating economic intelligence, social equity, and environmental responsibility. Mr. McDonough is a pioneer in the international "sustainable development" movement. In 1992, he wrote "The Hannover Principles: Design for Sustainability," for the City of Hannover, Germany's official design guidelines for EXPO 2000, the World's Fair. The Hannover Principles have become internationally recognized standards for sustainable design. Time magazine named Mr. McDonough a "Hero for the Planet" in 1999. In 1996, he received the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, the U.S.'s highest environmental award, presented by President Clinton.

Mr. McDonough's clients include Nike, Herman Miller, Oberlin College, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Smithsonian Institution, and Ford Motor Company; Mr. McDonough is redesigning Ford's Rouge plants.

LIVING DOWNSTREAMAn Ecologist Looks At Cancer And The Environment

Dr. Sandra SteingraberMarch 21, 2001

Heralded for her "inspiring and poetic use of science to elucidate the causes of cancer," Dr. Steingraber is the author of Living Downstream. Addressing cancer as a human rights issue, she used scientific data and personal stories to discuss the role of pollutants in the nation's rising cancer rates.

Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., ecologist, author, and cancer survivor, is an internationally recognized expert on the environmental links to cancer. She received her doctorate in biology from the University of Michigan and master's degree in English from Illinois State University. She was appointed to serve on President Clinton's National Action Plan on Breast Cancer administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In 1999, as part of international treaty negotiations, she briefed U.N. delegates in Geneva, Switzerland on dioxin contamination in breast milk.

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS: How Americans Can Meet Their Needs Without Poisoning The Web Of Life With Toxic Chemicals

Mr. Steve LernerApril 25, 2001

One of the country's foremost speakers on solutions to environmental problems, Steve Lerner discussed what some of the most innovative Americans are doing to reduce overall exposure to toxic chemicals and to create a more sustainable way of meeting our legitimate needs.

Mr. Lerner is research director at Commonweal, a 23-year-old health and environmental research institute in Bolinas, California. He currently runs the Washington, D.C. office of Commonweal's Sustainable Future Project. Mr. Lerner is also a free lance journalist and author.

Mr. Lerner's most recent book, Eco-Pioneers: Practical Visionaries Solving Today's Environmental Problems, profiles the work of 25 Americans who are coming up with nuts-and-bolts solutions to environmental problems.

BREAST CANCER AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Better Safe Than Sorry

Dr. Devra Lee DavisJune 5, 2001

Dr. Davis is an internationally recognized epidemiologist and researcher into the environmental causes of cancer and chronic disease. She discussed new evidence linking breast cancer to environmental risk factors and the case for the precautionary principleor why it is better to be safe than sorry.

Dr. Davis currently is a visiting professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, and Cornell Medical Center. President Clinton appointed Dr. Davis to the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Author of over 160 articles, her work has appeared in publications ranging from Scientific American to the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Lancet.

She completed a Ph.D. in science studies at the University of Chicago and her M.P.H. in epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University.

ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION:
Lessons From The Great Lakes

Dr. Theo ColbornJuly 12, 2001

Dr. Colborn, a recognized expert on endocrine-disrupting chemicals, discussed toxic substances that interfere with hormones and other chemical messengers. She also discussed the transgenerational effects of toxic chemicals on the developing endocrine, immune, and nervous systems in the womb and in early childhood. Recent discoveries from human, wildlife, and laboratory research were presented.

Dr. Colborn, co-author of Our Stolen Future, serves as Senior Program Scientist and directs the Wildlife and Contaminants Program at World Wildlife Fund. Her work has triggered world-wide public concern with endocrine disruptors, and has prompted enactment of new laws and redirection of research by governments, the private sector, and academics. She received her Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and speaks regularly to scientific groups, health officials, and policy makers.

THREATS IN THE GREAT LAKES
ARE CHEMICALS REALLY THE CAUSE?

MR. MICHAEL GILBERTSONOctober 16, 2001

Have our bodies become contaminated with industrial chemicals? Are we suffering the ill-effects? If so, what can we do about it?

As the first scientist to document effects of contaminants on Great Lakes herring gulls, biologist Michael Gilbertson raised concerns about the hazards of toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes basin. His findings showed not only widespread contamination but also resulting damage to other wildlife populations. Being concerned that what has occurred in wildlife may be occurring in children, he has been working on human health statistics for impacted communities in the Great Lakes basin for the past three years.

Mr. Gilbertson earned his Master of Science Degree in Ecology from Queens University in Belfast, Ireland, and moved to Canada in 1969. After working with Environment Canada and later the Canadian Wildlife Service, he joined the International Joint Commission, in 1988, as a Physical Science Officer. Much of his present work is involved with helping scientists translate their findings into information that is accessible to other scientists, to politicians and to the general public.

DIOXINARE WE ALL AT RISK?

DR. LINDA S. BIRNBAUMDecember 5, 2001

Dioxin has been called one of the most dangerous chemicals ever known. Purging uncertainties and clarifying myths about dioxin, Dr. Birnbaum will discuss dioxin in generalwhere it comes from, how we interact with itand specifically, its staggering impact on human health. She will also talk about dioxin effects in the Great Lakes.

Dr. Linda S. Birnbaum serves as lead scientist and director of health research in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) dioxin reassessment.

She is currently Director of the Experimental Toxicology Division, and Acting Director of the Human Studies Division, at the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA. Dr. Birnbaum received her Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana in 1972, with a minor in Biochemistry.

HIDDEN IMPACTS OF PESTICIDESARE THEY OCCURRING HERE?

In independent research, the Guillettes have shown that pesticides can undermine intelligence, impact behavior, and diminish reproductive capacity. The sobering fact is that these deficits occur without any obvious signs of poisoning.

Lessons from the Swamp

DR. LOUIS J. GUILLETTEFebruary 6, 2002

The lakes of central Florida have received contaminated run-off for decades. In 1980, a pesticide spill further contaminated Florida's Lake Apopka. During the 1990s, Dr. Louis Guillette and his colleagues discovered serious developmental deformities in the lake's alligators and fish. His discovery and ensuing work has shown that the lake's contaminants alter normal embryonic development. He has begun to understand how complex mixtures of pesticides affect environmental health of freshwater ecosystems.

Dr. Louis J. Guillette is a Professor of Zoology at the University of Florida. He earned his undergraduate degree from New Mexico Highlands University and his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He reviews grants for the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NATO, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

From the Swamp to the
Great Waters

DR. ELIZABETH A. GUILLETTEFebruary 6, 2002

Children from two similar towns nestled in the Yaqui Valley, one of Mexico's largest agricultural areas, demonstrate startlingly different neurological capabilities. Dr. Elizabeth Guillette's ground-breaking work shows pesticide exposures account for the diminished abilities of one groupthe children lack energy, are saddled with significant learning disabilities, and have coordination problems. Many of the pesticides used in this area are in use throughout the United States and Canada.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Guillette is known for her anthropological interpretations regarding the interplay between contaminants, human health, and society. She received her Masters in Nursing Education in 1963 from the University of Rochester. She earned her Ph.D. in Applied Anthropology from the University of Florida in 1992. She is currently a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane and Xavier Universities, and a Visiting Professor, Interdepartmental Honors, at the University of Florida.

INTELLECTUAL IMPAIRMENT IN
MICHIGAN CHILDREN FROM
PCBCONTAMINATED FOOD

DR. JOSEPH JACOBSON April 10, 2002

"Significant and enduring" describes the problems occurring in children contaminated with PCBs. Once used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment, PCBs polychlorinated biphenylshave settled into the food web from whence they find their way into embryos, infants and others. Measurable quantities of PCBs circulate throughout Michigan.

Dr. Joseph Jacobson and his collaborator, Sandra Jacobson, have been investigating the impacts of environmental contaminants in the Great Lakes for the past 20 years. Based on their findings, Dr. Jacobson will discuss how PCBs, an industrial pollutant, can move into the womb and influence the developing baby, leading to changes in a child's general IQ level, verbal skills, capacity to pay attention, reading comprehension, and physical coordination.

Dr. Jacobson's work focuses on developmental psychologythe study of physical, cognitive, and social changes from conception to deathand looks at how our ever-changing environment can influence behavior. He is a Developmental Psychology Professor and Chair of Psychology at Wayne State University.

THE MAKING OF A CONSERVATIVE ENVIRONMENTALIST

MR. GORDON K. DURNILMay 16, 2002

Addressing the fact that persistent toxic chemicals subtly compromise human healthoften in irreversible waysMr. Durnil tackles the issue of solving the problem. Acknowledging that most people doubt the truth, he will talk about the value of overcoming deeply ingrained points of view in light of overwhelming scientific fact. He will also discuss the crucial role individuals can play in protecting human and environmental health.

Appointed by former President George Bush to be Chairman of the United States Section of the International Joint Commission, Mr. Gordon K. Durnil served from 1989 - 1994. He is an internationally recognized expert at resolving environmental disputes between nations.

Mr. Durnil is the author of The Making of a Conservative Environmentalist (1995), and Is America Beyond Reform (1997), and contributed a chapter to Protecting Public Health & the Environment: Implementing the Precautionary Principle (1999). He also wrote Throwing Chairs and Raising Hell: Politics in the Bulen Era (1999).

He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from the Indiana University School of Business and his Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the Indiana University School of Law. His law practice concentrates on probate, governmental, and administrative law as well as charitable, campaign, and environmental law.

Dr. Sandra SteingraberNovember 6, 2002

Luncheon and Evening Lecture
Please RSVP for Luncheon lecture by October 28

At LocalMotion's first lecture series Dr. Steingraber spoke of cancer as a human rights issue, urging that precautions be taken to prevent environmental causes of the disease. On her return visit, she will explore our very first environment: the womb. Drawing on her latest book, Having Faith: an Ecologist's Journey to Motherhood (2001), Dr. Steingraber will reveal the extent to which environmental hazards now threaten each crucial stage of infant development.

Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D, ecologist, author, and cancer survivor, is an internationally recognized expert on the environmental links to cancer and reproductive health. In 1999, as part of international treaty negotiations, she briefed United Nations' delegates in Geneva, Switzerland on dioxin contamination of breast milk. She also served on President Clinton's National Action Plan on Breast Cancer. Dr. Steingraber received her doctorate in Biology from the University of Michigan and master's degree in English from Illinois State University. In her speaking and writing, Dr. Steingraber examines the tapestry of her life - and ours - with a scientist's clarity and poet's lyricism. Having Faith "ought to be read by every expectant parent and by every medical student," said Michael McCally, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of medicine, New York.

Children's Environmental Health

DR. Ruth EtzelJanuary 27, 2002

Dr. Ruth Etzel is a pediatrician, epidemiologist and an internationally-recognized expert on the effects of hazardous chemicals in the environment. She was appointed to Governor Engler's Michigan Environmental Science Board in 2000 to establish children's environmental health standards in Michigan. Both Dr. Etzel and Dr. William Weil, the only two medical doctors on the seven-member board, dissented strongly from the final report stating it did not sufficiently protect children's health.

Dr. Etzel is the editor of the groundbreaking American Academy of Pediatrics' Handbook of Pediatric Environmental Health (1999) and a Professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. For the past 20 years, Dr. Etzel's research has focused on the effects of indoor and outdoor air pollutants on children's health. One of the country's top experts on sick schools, she has received numerous research awards, including the prestigious Arthur S. Flemming Award, for her discovery of the link between moldy home environments and acute lung bleeding in infants. Dr. Etzel earned a medical degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Handbook of Pediatric Environmental Health

The only comprehensive guide to the identification, prevention, and treatment of pediatric environmental health problems.

Environmental hazards are among parents' top health concerns for their children. Doctors, many of which are eager to adress these concerns, have not received the necessary training to recognize and treat ailments resulting from exposure to harmful substances and environments. More than 30 chapters cover prevention and treatment of hazards, including asbestos, radiation, UV rays, pesticides, pollution, lead, tobacco, electric and magnetic fields, noise, food contaminants, and more.

Let's be Honest about Prevention: Why the Standard Approaches to Protecting Children's Health Need to Change

DR. Devra Lee DavisApril 9, 2003

"Environmental contamination is never listed as the cause of death on anyone's death certificate."
-Devra Lee Davis, Ph.D.

At LocalMotion's first lecture series world renowned epidemiologist Dr. Devra Lee Davis spoke on breast cancer and the environment, advising us to be "better safe than sorry." She returns to share with us a very moving and deeply troubling story as portrayed in her new book, "When Smoke Ran Like Water: Tales of Environmental Deception and the Battle Against Pollution." It is the sum of her life's work to date. Many people, like John Topping, the President of the Climate Institute, are calling it "simply the best book on the environment since Silent SpringÖ."

Dr. Davis documents the shocking toll of avoidable environmental pollutants today-and asks why we remain silent. She shows how environmental toxins contribute to a broad spectrum of human diseases, including breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and emphysema. And she tells us, in sharp detail, "How the game is played," the behind-the-scenes suppressions of crucial environmental facts and the silencing of innovative environmental researchers.

The story is very personal to Dr. Davis. Pollution is what killed some of her family members and forced the others, survivors of the 1948 smog emergency in Donora, Pennsylvania, to live out their lives with damaged health. She vividly describes that episode and also makes startling revelations about how the deaths from the London smog of 1952 were falsely attributed to influenza. In her lecture, Dr. Davis will make a compelling case that our approaches to public health need to change.

Dr. Davis is currently a visiting professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinze School, and Cornell Medical Center. She is Senior Advisor to the World Health Organization. President Clinton appointed Dr. Davis to the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Author of over 170 articles, her work has appeared in publications ranging from Scientific America to the Journal of the American Medical Association and The Lancet. Dr. Davis completed a Ph.D. in science studies at the University of Chicago and a M.P.H. in epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University.

May 6, 2003

Facilitator: Lana Pollack is President of the Michigan Environmental Council, a coalition of 63 member groups - representing nearly 200,000 Michigan residents - working to protect Michigan's natural resources and promote healthy environments. From 1982 to 1994 Ms. Pollack served in the State Senate as a representative from Washtenaw County where she became a leading advocate for the environment and children. On October 30, Ms. Pollack was inducted into the 2002 Michigan Women's Hall of Fame "for over 25 years as an advocate and leader for women, children and the environment."

Debra Lynn Dadd is a consumer advocate, consultant and author, well known for her acclaimed book Home Safe Home (1997). In 1980 she was diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and was told there was no cure other than removing all toxic chemicals from her home. Finding no literature on the subject she set about writing a book on non-toxic household products, and in the process healed herself and countless others. Ms. Dadd is currently writing a new series of books under the working title of Living as Nature.

Michael Harbut, MD, MPH is Director of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Southfield, Michigan. He is internationally known in his specialty. Dr. Harbut is a medical advisor to local, state, and national groups on issues such as the dangers of arsenic in drinking water and asbestos-related disease. Dr. Harbut believes that talking to patients about environmental hazardous should be an integral part of a medical practice, as routine as talking to patients about the dangers of second-hand smoke or the necessity of car seats for children.

Shelley Petrie is the Executive Director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA). Ms. Petrie founded TEA's Water Campaign in 1999, initially supporting the adoption of a tough Sewer-Use Bylaw in Toronto -- restricting the release of toxic industrial chemicals into city sewers and Lake Ontario. Before joining TEA, Ms. Petrie worked with Greenpeace Canada for three years. She worked to defeat a proposal to site a hazardous waste incinerator to destroy PCBs in a low income and industrialized neighborhood.

Healthy Home Improvements

Adam Szuch
Environmental House Coordinator, Recycle Ann Arbor
February 11, 2004

New carpeting and a fresh coat of paint improve the appearance of your home, but they can also compromise indoor air quality. Many home repair and remodeling materials contain hazardous ingredients or emit hazardous gases after installation.

Does that mean you have to live with that awful bathroom or risk your family's health to change it?

Fortunately, paints, wood finishes, adhesives, carpeting, and all manner of renovation and building materials are available that contain less toxic ingredients. Learn how you can redecorate, renovate, and build while minimizing the impact on your family's health and the air in your home.

Adam Szuch, Project Coordinator for Recycle Ann Arbor, oversees and directs the Environmental House Green Building and Energy Resource Center. The full scale model home educates its visitors on issues including environmentally friendly building materials, site planning, efficient and natural building design, home maintenance, energy efficiency, indoor air quality and renewable energy. The Environmental House provides educational tours through its facilities for visitors, offers consulting services on construction or improvement projects for new and existing buildings, manages a resource library, and provides environmentally friendly product and contractor recommendations, all free of charge.

Everyday Toxins in Everyday Places

Jeff Krcmarik
Solid Waste Manager, Washtenaw County
March 18, 2004

What's lurking under your sink? In your basement? In your garage?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average U.S. household generates more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste per year. As much as 100 pounds can accumulate in the home, often remaining there until the residents move or do an extensive cleanout.

Naturally Green: Non-Toxic Lawn Care

Rick Lazell
May 11, 2004

American households annually use an estimated 80 million pounds of pesticides, many of which are used to keep lawns free from weeds and pests. Thick, lush lawns are appealing and inviting for play, picnics, and bare feet. However, lawn care pesticides have been linked to a myriad of adverse health effects including headaches, nausea, difficulty breathing, rashes, fatigue, dizziness, learning disabilities, damage to the central nervous system, birth defects, liver and kidney damage, lowered male fertility, miscarriage, immune suppression, and certain cancers.

You don't have to let your lawn become overgrown with weeds and grubs in order to avoid risks associated with pesticides! Simple maintenance techniques, non-synthetic fertilizers, and natural pest control products can keep a lawn thick and green. Rick Lazzell, Lazzell's Horticultural Services, will describe how you can have a naturally lush lawn that is attractive and safe for you, your children, grandchildren, and pets.

Mr. Lazzell is an instructor in Landscape Design/Horticulture at Oakland Community College and was the former Education Director for the Michigan Green Industry Association. He has a private landscape design and consulting business, places a high value on natural resources, and stresses environmentally responsible landscape methods.